7 secret cottage country spots to visit in honour of the Canadian Tulip Festival

The most “tulip-y” spot of all may just be Green Corners Farm in Edwards, south of Ottawa. Green Corners is the official floral supplier for the Canadian Tulip Festival and they run a pick-your-own tulip farm. 350,000 tulips in every imaginable colour await.

It seems especially fitting that the woodland retreat of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King would have gorgeous tulips. After all, King was Prime Minister during Princess Juliana’s sojourn in Ottawa. His former home, now a National Historic Site within Gatineau Park, is filled with flower beds and hiking trails.

Located west of Ottawa, this nearly 200-year-old historic home is an Ontario Heritage Trust site and offers pretty, old-fashioned flower plots complete with tulips. Pinhey’s Point is an excellent place for a picnic (there are even barbecue pits available), and it offers superb views of the Ottawa River. 

This small community, about an hour from Ottawa, is an essential stop for gardeners. Merrickville was dubbed “Canada’s Most Beautiful Village” by Communities in Bloom, and you’ll see tulips by parks, private homes, and outside the many heritage buildings. Tulips are so popular here that in 2019, Merrickville even had its own tulip festival.

With a stately name like ”Court House Avenue,” you can be sure that this is one destination built to impress. This lovely street terminates at the Brockville courthouse where the front lawn is resplendent with springtime tulips. Visitors will also want to check out Fulford Place, a nearby Ontario Heritage Trust property that’s famous for its elaborate flower beds.

Bancroft was one of 140 communities selected by the Canadian Garden Council to plant a garden honouring the 70th anniversary of Dutch-Canadian friendship. Fittingly located across from the Royal Canadian Legion, Bancroft’s garden features 350 white bulbs and 350 red bulbs and was planted by volunteers from the Bancroft Horticultural Society.

Prepare to swoon when you step inside this incredible labour-of-love project. The Quinte Botanical Gardens have amazing tulips, but that’s just the beginning. The elegant property is absolutely packed with beautifully arranged beds of stocks, fuschias, dahlias, delphiniums, zinnias, and much more.