When Spring comes, I want to do two things: plant things in my yard (and hope to not immediately kill them — still working on that) and see tulips in bloom. I’m not planting this season (all plants may now breathe a sigh of relief), but I have found tulips! You may remember my love of the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands. We are currently traveling Utah, however, and have been thrilled to discover the Tulip Festival in Ashton Gardens. Tulips will be blooming for a few more weeks, so grab your camera and coat and jump on over to Lehi.
Ashton Gardens sits in the center of Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT. Its 50 acres of gardens and lawns include 17 themed spaces and America’s largest man-made waterfall. The Tulip Festival includes over 750,000 spring flowers: tulips, hyacinths, poppies, daffodils, and others.
The gardens, including the Light of the World sculpture garden, take an hour or two to see. They’re beautiful to stroll, but if you’re short on time or have limited mobility, consider renting a golf cart. Each seats four adults. The garden has designated cart parking places, where you can dismount for a closer look and photo opportunities.
If you are inspired to get some fresh tulips to take home, you’re in luck! At Ashton Gardens, you can pay a small fee and choose exactly which tulips you would like cut to take home.
Ashton Gardens is open Monday-Saturday, early April through mid-May. Admission is free for Thanksgiving Point members; and discounted for children, youth, seniors, military and their family members, and those who hold a SNAP card. Tours are available for an additional fee.
Fridays and Saturdays are “peak days,” when the tranquil garden becomes a party. It has live music, food trucks, vendors, and activities for everyone. The extra fun of peak days comes with an extra cost. Check out current prices, and the State of the Tulips update, here.
If you aren’t able to see the Tulip Festival, consider exploring Ashton Gardens at other times of the year. They have plenty of activities for all ages, year round.
