With 75,000 bulbs now in place and planter boxes provided to every village from Balmoral to Penrose, we eagerly await the return of Spring and a super-bloom for Tulip-Time 2023 in the Southern Highlands. Expanding the footprint of the popular festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors to our region from far and wide, Council has collaborated with village communities around hosting planter boxes, for an added burst of Spring colour that will connect them to the celebrations.
Each Spring at Tulip Time, Wingecarribee Shire pays homage to the elegant and enigmatic tulip, with a spectacle of thousands upon thousands in bloom that completely transforms our townships. This year as the festivities unfurl, village communities can look forward to feeling more connected with the excitement and opportunity it brings.
Village Community Associations have embraced the commitment to host Tulip Time planter boxes.
Council made the materials and bulbs available to Community Associations wanting to be involved and dedicated members have taken on the responsibility of planting and caring-for the future blooms, adding an extra layer of charm to this uniquely Southern Highlands experience.
Renowned for their commitment to beautifying public spaces, Bundanoon Community Association jumped at the opportunity to participate. "Our Green Team have for many years maintained planter tubs in the village and these additional planters will bring a flush of vibrant tulips to colour our town for Tulip Time. We can't wait!" says Andy Carnahan, president of Bundanoon Community Association.
The eager involvement of Yerrinbool Village Group reflects their passion for gardening, as evidenced in their beautiful Railway Garden-scape. "We are a small group of enthusiastic garden-lovers, excited for the chance to be an active part of Tulip Time," says Maryann Anderson, a member of the Village Group.
A more inclusive future for this long-standing festival is the goal, as Council continues to work toward reconnecting and revitalising our communities, and making an even greater impression on visitors to our Shire at tulip-time is a given.
"We've been reaching out to our villages through our communication and reconnecting visits, to gain a good understanding of what matters most to them, and when we approached the idea of planter boxes as a way of connecting village communities with Tulip Time to make it even more of a Shire-wide activation, they loved the idea." says WSC Coordinator Community Development, Corinne Buxton.
Immerse in the magnificent spectacle of tens of thousands of blooms of every colour, at Tulip Time in the Southern Highlands, September 19 to October 2, 2023. And this year, plan your visit to pop-out and see the added burst of colour in our villages. More than ever before, this will be a shared experience of unity and the abundant wonders of nature we're so blessed with here in the Highlands.
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