Tulip Grove has a grove of Tulips

Dedicated to the past, current, and future students of Tulip Grove Elementary School.
Together, staff and students planted the bulbs.  Enrichment, Love, and Encouragement made them grow.
Knowledge and Empowerment made them bloom!

 

Planting day, November 1, 2007
Read the article in the November 8 Bowie Star.

 

For a few days before the children came out, staff and parents worked hard, digging holes.	Until the field was ready.	1200 tulip bulbs, donated by Patuxent Nursery, were made ready...	And the children come out.
From our youngest students			To our oldest students
The bulbs lay dormant, deep in the ground,			until April, when they start to bloom.

 

 

Month by month, we watch the garden...

November 2007	December 2007	January 2008
February 2008	March 2008	April  2008
	May 2008

 

Tulip Watch
March - April 2008

March 14, 2008 -- A single tulip is spotted as it pushes it's way up through the straw.	March 25.  When we returned from Spring Break, we saw rows and rows of tulip leaves in the grass and straw.  But no tulip buds yet.	April 5.  Rows of black tulips are starting to bloom.
The black tulips appeared first (April 5)	Then a few orange tulips, and lots of white buds. (April 12)	And finally, the white tulips appeared, (April 18)
April 12, 2008 -- the black tulips are out in rows, a few lone orange tulips show up, with lots of white buds appearing.  We can easily imagine what it'll look like.	April 18 -- A warm day and the tulips opened -- showing all the orange, black and white tulips	April 25.  Hey!  The white tulips turned pink!  What's up with that???

 

Dedication Day, April 22, 2008

 

The first tulip appeared on April 5.  By April 22, they were all in glorious bloom!  Over one thousand tulips -- orange, white, and black --, donated to our school by Patuxent Nursery.	On April 22, Earth Day, we dedicated our new tulip garden.  The band played as the students came outside.	All the students gathered in the front circle to listen to Mr. B.
Mr. Baudoin and our honored guests cut the ribbon and unveil the plaque.	The children sing a wonderful song about spring to end the ceremony	The tulips continue to bloom after everyone goes back inside to work.  What a glorious sight to see each day in the springtime!

 

 

Trivia:  A "grove" is a small group of trees, not flowers.  There is such a thing as a tulip tree, which is also known as a tulip poplar or yellow tulip.  It is native to the eastern United States.  It flowers in May, high up in the tree, and its flower is shaped like a tulip.  In the autumn, the leaves turn a bright yellow.  A long line of Tulip Trees were planted around 1760, and ran from the Belair Mansion down Tulip Grove Drive to Route 450.  There are still some of these old trees in yards on the street.  There are no tulip trees on our school grounds, although there are oaks, white poplars, Bradford pears, and pine trees.
Tulip Tree	Tulip Tree leaf in autumn	Tulip Tree flowers