Here’s something to lift our spirits. For many, tulips represent spring, since it's one of the first bulbs to send a flower up above the ground on a sleek, strong stem. For the last few years, Union Square has hosted Flower Bulb Day with more than 80,000 tulips in receptacles throughout the square, and it’s happening again. On March 22, come see the beautiful spectacle and take home your own free bouquet.
The flowers were grown in America, but the bulbs originate from Europe (America is the largest export market for them—we take in a half billion bulbs every year!). The organization Anthos, which created the event (there’s also one in New York on March 30) and represents flower bulb and nursery stock companies, is housed in the Netherlands—exactly the place we’d expect for tulips! Fun fact: Anthos, which was established in 1900, was designated Royal Anthos by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix in 2000, so these are truly royal flowers.
The chance to walk around and pick your own tulips starts at 1pm and ends by 4:30pm. In the past, we’ve seen long lines (enough so that we gave up), so make sure to have a friend to chat with while you wait. You’re allowed to pick a maximum of six tulips.
In 2023, the event coincided with International Women’s Day, and pink tulips were arranged to spell out “LOVE” in a large, Instagrammable arrangement. While rain fell and visitors perused the tulips under umbrellas, the saturated color of the gorgeous blooms made for amazing photographs.
Flower Bulb Day represents more than 400 years of friendship between San Francisco and the Netherlands, and the people of San Francisco are grateful for this happy act of kindness! What’s more friendly than sending someone home with a fresh bouquet of blooms?