Spring has officially arrived in Utah, and there is no better place to experience it than Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. Each year, the gardens come alive with vibrant color, fresh fragrance, and breathtaking floral displays that mark the arrival of the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival.
Recognized as one of the largest and most beautiful spring flower festivals in the United States, the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival features over one million blooming flowers across 50 acres of Ashton Gardens. From cheerful daffodils to fragrant hyacinths and stunning tulip varieties straight from Holland, visitors can experience an unforgettable celebration of spring in Utah County.
If you’re planning your visit this season, here’s a look at what’s blooming this year at Ashton Gardens during the Tulip Festival.
Daffodils: The First Sign of Spring
One of the earliest flowers to bloom at Ashton Gardens in spring is the bright and cheerful daffodil. Known for their iconic trumpet-shaped centers and sunny yellow petals, daffodils are often considered the official signal that winter is coming to an end.
At the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, daffodils appear throughout the gardens in beautiful clusters and sweeping floral beds. These resilient spring flowers thrive in cooler temperatures, making them one of the first blooms visitors will see as the gardens begin to wake up after winter.
Daffodils symbolize renewal, hope, and new beginnings, which perfectly reflect the spirit of spring at Ashton Gardens in Lehi, Utah. Their bright colors create stunning contrasts against fresh green foliage and early spring landscapes, making them a favorite for photographers and visitors alike.
Hyacinths: Spring’s Sweetest Fragrance
As you stroll through the pathways of Ashton Gardens during the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, you may notice a sweet fragrance drifting through the air. That delightful scent likely comes from hyacinths, one of the most aromatic flowers of spring.
Hyacinths are known for their dense clusters of star-shaped blooms that grow along a single stalk. These flowers appear in a variety of vibrant colors, including purple, pink, white, and soft blue, adding depth and texture to the gardens.
Beyond their beauty, hyacinths are beloved for their powerful fragrance that fills the air throughout the Tulip Festival in Utah County. Garden designers often plant hyacinths along pathways and gathering spaces so visitors can enjoy their scent while exploring the gardens.
Their bold colors and sweet aroma make hyacinths one of the most memorable sensory experiences at Ashton Gardens in spring.
Tulips: The Stars of the Festival
No flower captures the magic of the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival quite like the tulip. Each year, over 300,000 tulips in dozens of varieties bloom across the 50-acre gardens, creating sweeping displays of color and artistic floral design.
Tulips are planted each fall by the horticulture team at Ashton Gardens, ensuring fresh displays and new designs every spring. Many of the tulip varieties featured at the festival are sourced directly from Holland, one of the world’s most famous tulip-growing regions.
This year, visitors will discover several stunning varieties, including:
Apricot Beauty Tulip
The Apricot Beauty Tulip is known for its soft, warm tones that blend shades of peach, coral, and light apricot. This elegant tulip variety adds a gentle glow to the garden beds and pairs beautifully with other pastel spring flowers.
Ballerina Tulip
The Ballerina Tulip is one of the most striking flowers in the gardens. With its fiery orange petals and tall, elegant shape, it brings bold color and graceful movement to the floral displays. Some visitors even notice a subtle citrus-like fragrance from this unique tulip variety.
Sorbet Tulip
The Sorbet Tulip stands out with its dramatic contrast of bright pink petals edged in crisp white. This vibrant variety adds energy and visual excitement to the tulip beds, making it a favorite for photographers visiting the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival in Lehi.
Together, these tulips help create the iconic sea of color that makes Ashton Gardens one of the most photographed spring destinations in Utah.
Poppies: A Burst of Bold Color
Among the many blooms at the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, poppies add an eye-catching burst of color to the spring landscape. Known for their delicate petals and vibrant hues, poppies bring a playful energy to the gardens.
These flowers are often recognized for their bright red or orange petals, but poppies can also appear in shades of pink, white, and coral. Their lightweight petals move gently in the breeze, adding movement and texture to the floral displays at Ashton Gardens.
Poppies thrive in sunny conditions, making them a beautiful addition to the garden beds during the warmer days of the Utah spring season. Their bold colors contrast beautifully with the softer tones of tulips and hyacinths, creating visually stunning combinations throughout the gardens.
Visitors exploring the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival often find poppies sprinkled throughout the landscape, adding unexpected moments of color and charm.
Experience Spring in Full Bloom at Ashton Gardens
Each year, the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival at Ashton Gardens in Lehi, Utah celebrates the beauty of spring with breathtaking floral displays and unforgettable garden experiences.
With over one million blooming flowers, including daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and poppies, the gardens transform into a vibrant celebration of color, fragrance, and nature. Add in live entertainment, classes, garden tours, and new floral displays each year, and it’s easy to see why this event has become one of the most popular spring festivals in Utah and the nation.
Whether you’re visiting for the flowers, photography, or simply to enjoy the fresh spring air, Ashton Gardens during the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival offers an experience that captures the magic of the season.
Plan your visit and discover what’s blooming this spring at Ashton Gardens.
