Tiptoe through some tulip history

Flowers are as much a part of our history as food. (O.K., we know this isn't a food fact, but we just had to tell you.) During World War II, Canada hosted the exiled Dutch royal family. (Parliament even declared the room in which the Netherlands's Queen Margriet was born in as Dutch soil, so the princess could be considered heir to the throne.) In recognition of Canada providing safe haven to the Dutch royals, and in recognition of the role Canadian soldiers played in liberating the Netherlands, Queen Juliana presented Ottawa with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945. Tulips instantly became a symbol of friendship and Ottawa became known as the Tulip Capital of North America and the perennial host of the Canadian Tulip Festival…the largest tulip festival in the world.

Flower Fact brought to you by Farm Credit Canada.

Source: The Canadian Tulip Festival website:
http://www.tulipfestival.ca/en/FestivalHistory/
http://www.legionmagazine.com/ features/celebratingcanada/99-05.asp

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