Durwin Rice, founder of Tulips on Troost, smiled with confusion and delight at the downright balmy temperatures on Saturday morning.
"I feel like we're in the wrong month," he said with a grin.
Normally, volunteers who pitch in for the planting events in the fall have to bundle up and keep warm with the knowledge that, come spring, the bulbs will create a cascade of blooms down Troost Avenue. But during the November 7 planting, it felt like spring already and many of the more than 40 volunteers shucked off their sweatshirts to dig in the dirt.
Thus far, Rice said, the organization has planted more than 230,000 tulips on the busy thoroughfare, but Saturday's event was a little different. A few months ago, EcoTulips, a Virginia-based business, donated 500 bulbs to the Kansas City group. Rice said the organic bulbs seem even stronger and healthier than conventional varieties, so the ToT founder bought a bunch from the Virginia retailer. On Saturday, the first bulbs untainted by pesticides and fertilizers went into the ground.
Though volunteers spread out at locations from 83rd Street all the way up to 39th Street, there's still plenty of places to plant. Next week, ToT is hosting another planting. But, before you RSVP, click the photo or here for a slideshow of Saturday's event.
