Last fall, the City's Horticulture team planted tulip bulbs in locations throughout the City in celebration of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) centennial year.
City staff planted at total of 24,425 dedication tulips at City Hall, along McAllister Avenue, Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, Cemetery and at various other planters throughout the City.
The City will feature four Tulip varieties each dedicated to a different aspect of the RCAF.
- Ad Astra - Tulip White Triumphator - the "Ad Astra" is a flying, pale ivory tulip with reflexed petals and was chosen because of its connection to the RCAF Latin motto Sic Itur Ad Astra "such is the pathway to the stars."
- Flyers - Tulip Versace - A deep red tulip with fringed edges, the "Flyers" tulip is named after the RCAF Flyers men's amateur hockey team that won the Gold medal in the 1948 Moritz Winter Olympics.
- Wings - Tulip Yellow Fabio - Chosen for its bright yellow colour with a fringed edge the "Wings" tulip represents the colour most associated with the RCAF's training aircraft of the Second World War and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
- Rescue - Tulip Flaming Parrot - The "Rescue" tulip is a striped creamy yellow and crimson red bloom with a feathered edge to its petal, chosen for its resemblance to Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft that are red and yellow for enhanced visibility.
As the tulips are now about to burst in the next week or so, the City is encouraging residents to celebrate PoCo in Bloom by sharing photos of the tulips via social media or on the City's website at portcoquitlam.ca/pocoinbloom and be entered to win one of four bags of these varieties of tulips to be planted for the fall and a coffee table book - Pathway to the Stars: 100 Years of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The City's horticultural team oversees the planning, growing, planting and care of tens of thousands of plants in the City's garden beds and planters every year. When planning the colourful displays horticultural staff are mindful of forage for pollinators, selecting plants that are adaptable to changing climate and consider native selections. New plants are incorporated every year into perennial garden beds, planters and hanging baskets so there's something new to discover every season.
For more information about the tulips or for a map to view their locations visit portcoquitlam.ca/pocoinbloom.
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Media Contact
Ximena Ibacache
Manager of Communications & Administrative Services
City of Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.927.5499
Email [email protected]