During Dutch Tulip Days, the newest tulip will be formally named in honor of First Lady Jill Biden and accepted into the official tulip registry of the Royal General Bulb Growers Association of the Netherlands.
The ceremony, which will take place at the Ambassador's Residence in Washington, D.C., on April 5, will highlight the diversity and strength of bilateral ties between the Netherlands and the United States.
At the ceremony, the First Lady will continue a centuries-old tradition and accept the Tulipa "Jill Biden."
The ceremony may be centuries old, but the naming of a tulip after a first lady is not. Tulipa "Jill Biden" will join a small group of beautiful tulips bearing the names of American First Ladies. Seven First Ladies have tulips named in their honor: Tulipas "Mrs. Cleveland," "Mrs. Grace Coolidge," "Eleanor Roosevelt," "Lady Bird Johnson," "Barbara Bush," "Hillary Clinton," and "Laura Bush."
The Dutch fondness for tulips began in 1594 when botanist Carolus Clusius planted tulip bulbs in Leiden. Since then, the Dutch have excelled in the propagation of different varieties of tulips, and Dutch expertise in horticulture has become world-renowned. For example, the Netherlands exports over 450 million tulip bulbs to the United States annually.
More than 15,000 tulips, cut flowers, and horticulture plants will transform the residence of Ambassador André Haspels during Dutch Tulip Days, April 5-7. Dutch Cycling Culture is the theme of this year's event. Dutch tulips and bicycles will be highlighted in a series of seminars, luncheons, and receptions.
Source: netherlandsandyou.nl