Spring in Alberta doesn’t whisper — it arrives slowly, then all at once. And nothing marks that shift quite like tulips.
At Uchtenhagen Farm, located just outside Red Deer, our tulip subscription is one of the most anticipated offerings of the year. If you’ve been curious about how a tulip subscription works — or whether it’s right for you — here’s everything you need to know.
What Makes Specialty Tulips Different?
Not all tulips are created equal.
The tulips you typically find in grocery stores are standard varieties grown for durability and uniformity. While they’re beautiful, they’re often bred for shipping — not uniqueness.
Our tulips are specialty varieties. That means:
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Unusual petal shapes (fringed, double, parrot, peony-style)
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Soft, romantic colour palettes
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Longer and thicker stems
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Grown intentionally for the cut flower market
Because we grow in a Zone 3 Alberta climate, every bulb is carefully selected and planted with intention the previous fall. By the time May arrives, these blooms are ready to shine — and they’re nothing like what you’ll find in a big box store or grocery store.
How Our 3-Week Tulip Subscription Works
Our tulip subscription runs from late-May to late-June — the sweet spot of spring in Central Alberta. Here’s what to expect:
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One bouquet per week
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Three consecutive weeks of fresh, specialty tulips
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Grown right here on our farm near Red Deer
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Carefully harvested at peak stage for maximum vase life
The total investment is $85 for the full three-week subscription.
Each week’s bouquet features a different curated mix of colours and varieties, depending on what is blooming. No two weeks look the same — and that’s part of the joy.
Pick-up details are shared closer to the season, and bouquets are harvested fresh for each week’s pick-up. With our third baby arriving in April, tulip subscriptions will be available for farm pick-up only this season.
Who a Tulip Subscription Is Perfect For
A tulip subscription makes a beautiful:
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Spring refresh for your home
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Gift for Mother’s Day
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Anniversary surprise
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Birthday gift
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“Just because” gesture
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Thank-you gift for teachers
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Treat for yourself after a long Alberta winter (my personal fav)
It’s also perfect for anyone who values seasonal, locally grown flowers over imported blooms.
Why Spring Tulips Are Limited in Alberta
Tulips are a true seasonal crop.
They are planted in the fall, overwinter under snow, and bloom for a very short window in spring. Once the tulip season passes, it’s gone until the following year.
Because we are a small, family-run flower farm near Red Deer, we grow intentionally — not endlessly. Our tulip subscription spots are limited to what we can grow and harvest at peak quality.
When they’re full, they’re full. There is no restock. No greenhouse imports. Just the season as it unfolds. And honestly? That’s what makes it special.
Supporting Local Spring Flower Delivery in Alberta
When you purchase a tulip subscription from Uchtenhagen Farm, you’re supporting:
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A family-run Alberta flower farm
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Seasonal growing practices
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Intentional, small-batch production
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Locally grown flowers instead of imported stems (which are also highly sprayed with chemicals)
In a province where spring feels long-awaited, these blooms are a celebration of the season.
Ready to Reserve Your Tulip Subscription?
Our tulip subscriptions typically sell out each spring.
If you’re in Red Deer or surrounding Central Alberta and would love three weeks of specialty tulips this May and June, you can reserve your spot through our Tulip Bloom Bundle — our spring tulip subscription featuring three weeks of locally grown specialty tulips.
Spots are limited to what we intentionally grow each season, and once they’re full, they’re full.
Spring is short. Tulips are fleeting. But for three beautiful weeks, your home can feel like it’s blooming right along with the farm.