This was written by Lise Howe, Associate Broker at RLAH RE, LLC, located at 4600 N Park in Chevy Chase MD with great appreciation to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Royal Anthos and the European Union for their wonderful gift to Washington, DC.  

🌷 Tulip Day on the National Mall: Peak Bloom, Dutch Style

Because only in Washington can you pick flowers in front of the Capitol and call it diplomacy.

Last Sunday, the National Mall traded its usual palette of marble, monuments, and joggers for something far more colorful: 150,000 tulips, courtesy of the Embassy of the Netherlands. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the Dutch decided to celebrate the way they do best—by showing up with enough bulbs to make even the Tidal Basin blush.

And the best part? Every attendee got to pick ten tulips—with bulbs attached—to take home. That’s right: a free bouquet and a gardening project, all in one. Only in DC do you get homework with your flowers.

San Francisco and New York also hosted Tulip Days, but let’s be honest: ours was on the Mall, framed by the Capitol dome. Advantage, Washington.

🌷 Who Made This Floral Spectacle Happen?

The event was funded by Royal Anthos, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and partners across the floral sector, with support from the European Union. Royal Anthos, in case you’re not up on your Dutch horticultural trade associations (I forgive you), represents more than 85% of the world’s flower‑bulb trade. When it comes to tulips, they’re basically the Federal Reserve.

Their mission? Represent the interests of bulb traders worldwide. And, apparently, make the Mall look like a Dutch daydream.

🌷 A Mall Transformed

The tulips were a riot of pinks, yellows, reds, whites, and every hybrid in between. I’m always amazed at how tall and straight tulip stems can be—mine at home tend to lean like they’re trying to overhear neighborhood gossip. But these? These were runway‑model tulips. With bulbs still nestled in their crates, they were the very picture of tulip perfection.

Frankly, it was the most cheerful thing I’ve seen on the Mall since the last time a school group discovered the Lincoln Memorial steps echo.

🌷 A Quick Tulip History (Because DC loves a good briefing)

• Origins: Tulips began in Central Asia and were adored in the Ottoman Empire, where they inspired festivals, art, and probably more than a few love poems.
• Arrival in Europe: Enter Carolus Clusius, a Flemish botanist who brought tulip bulbs to the Netherlands in the late 1500s. He planted Europe’s first tulip garden at Leiden University.
• Dutch Obsession: By the 1600s, tulips were the status symbol. Tulip Mania followed—think the dot‑com bubble, but with flowers and fewer hoodies.
• Today: Thankfully, bulbs are easier to buy now. Or so I thought.

🌷 My Chat With Royal Anthos (and Why My Tulips Never Bloom)

I spoke with a representative from Royal Anthos who kindly explained why my past attempts at re‑growing “forced” tulip bulbs have failed. Apparently, bulbs that have been forced to bloom need a few years to recover before they’ll flower again. Years. As in plural.

So those bulbs I once rescued from the Tulip Library near the Tidal Basin? They weren’t lazy—they were exhausted.

I suspect the gorgeous bulbs handed out on the Mall will need the same patience. Gardening is humbling.

🌷 My Amsterdam Tulip Misadventure

Recently, I spent a few days in Amsterdam doing all the classics: Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, canal tour. I even planned to visit the Tulip Museum (which also sells bulbs), but time got away from me. No matter—I knew Schiphol Airport would have plenty.

And it did. I bought a few bags of bulbs as gifts, tucked them next to my Anne Frank book and Dutch chocolates, and felt very pleased with myself.

Fast‑forward to Dulles Airport.

The customs officer asked what I’d bought. “Not much,” I said. “Some chocolate, a few books. It was more of an experience trip.” He nodded, ready to stamp my passport.

Then my husband chimed in: “Don’t forget the flower bulbs.”

Reader, the temperature in that room dropped ten degrees.

“Flower bulbs? May I see them?” the officer asked.

I produced them. He produced a plastic case for our passports. We were escorted to secondary screening.

It turns out you can only bring Dutch tulip bulbs into the U.S. if they have a specific import‑approval seal. Mine did not. My bulbs were destined not for my garden, but for the U.S. Customs incinerator.

I could have just gone to American Plant on River Road, bought perfectly legal tulip bulbs, and called it a day. Instead, I contributed to the great federal bonfire of contraband flora.

🌷 The Moral of the Story

If you want tulips in DC, you have options:

• Get tickets in advance to pick them on the Mall during Tulip Day.
• Buy them locally from reputable nurseries.
• Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try to bring them home from Amsterdam and enjoy a surprise tour of Dulles secondary screening.

As for me, I’ll be planting my Mall tulips with great care—and a renewed appreciation for the Dutch, the National Mall, and the quiet power of a well‑placed import seal.

If all this talk of flowers makes you want to move to DC and its surrounding areas, then we should definitely talk! You can reach me at 240-401-5577 or email me at LIse@lisehowe.com.