The Idea

 As mentioned yesterday, the Dutch began sending tulips to Canada as thanks for the liberation of their country during the Second World War. But for the idea of a festival, we have one man to thank, one man deemed the founder of the festival. Malak Karsh was a landscape photographer, brother to Yousuf Karsh. He had followed his brother from their native Armenia to Canada, establishing a life here. Where Yousuf made his reputation with portrait photography, Malak chose the great outdoors as his motif. Canada was his subject, and Ottawa was his home. He proposed the idea of a festival dedicated to the tulips.

The bed around which these are organized is here. When I visited next, more of the tulips were showing.

I carried on. The next bed is less densely planted.

Another bed beyond, with a beautiful blend of tulips.