The Canadian Tulip Festival

Beginning in 1953, the Ottawa Board of Trade and 
photographer Malak Karsh organized a first Canadian Tulip Festival. 
2012 is the 59th year of the annual Ottawa event, 

bringing close to half a million visitors.  

People travel from around the globe 

to explore our nation's capital and to visit and photograph

these extraordinary flowers.  


I was intrigued to discover new tulips; 
to find and photograph flowers 
often unseen in our neighbourhood beds.  

Sabrina Leigh describes this image 

of a Parrot Tulip, "like melted vanilla ice cream 

with some beautiful chemical cherry topping."

People here share a love of beautiful things.  
Ottawa's Chinatown reMixed

takes place during the Tulip Festival.  Ms China-China Doll

is dazzling in her flowered frocks and fabulous hat.

And then there are the flowers... .

Perestroyka Tulips.




and so many more... .