Tulip extravaganza at Warsaw’s baroque gem

Photo credit: Agnieszka Murawska.

WARSAW, Poland: After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Tulip Show returned to  the Orangery of the capital’s Wilanów Museum, the former residence of King John III Sobieski.

True to tradition the Wilanów Museum and Polish Association of Flower Bulb Growers’ annual event was two weeks before Easter, in the weekend from 2 to 3 April. Visitors could view hundreds of locally grown tulips.

Photo credit: Agnieszka Murawska.

A dozen of growers from across Poland displayed simple glass vases filled to the brim with tulips in a rainbow of colours including yellow, white orange, pink, purple, bicolours, and fringed cultivars. From the onset, the goal of Warsaw’s annual tulip event has been to promote and support Polish grown tulips by putting the Tulipani Polskie brand in the limelight.

The economic uncertainty Poland’s flower industry is currently facing forced organisers to recalibrate their show, which ran in a reduced format. In such a challenging business environment they deserve even more credit for their steadfastness, clinging to the belief that especially in trying times the industry can use additional promotion.

Even if the world continues to open up, the event followed required Covid-19 guidelines, providing clear guidance on expected attendee behaviours, social distancing and hygiene. The show’s educational programme moved to more open and airy museum buildings adjacent to the orangery.

Here visitors could learn more about highly advanced techniques of tulip forcing which is done hydropincally and in crates.

The area of protected cut tulip production (glasshouses and polyroofed greenhouses) is approximately 55ha with an annual output of 150-180 million stems.

The 17th century museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanow (Muzeum Pałacu Króla Jana III w Wilanowie) provided a majestic setting. The palace is widely considered as Poland’s most beautiful baroque masterpieces, a 30 minute drive from Warsaw’s city centre.