TULIP FESTIVAL AT THE RITZ CARLTON

Issued 31st March 2010

The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt will host the De Jager Tulip Festival in association with the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation from Wednesday 14th – Sunday 18th April 2010. Ten thousand top quality, top size De Jager tulip bulbs have been planted by the gardening team at the hotel in readiness for the Tulip Festival.

The wonderful array of flowers will be open to all visitors who will be able to enjoy refreshments on the lawn whilst admiring the tulips and developing their gardening knowledge from the de Jager team who will give advice on selection, planting and care. Visitors will also raise money for the Jack & Jill Foundation as 10% of the de Jager products sold will go to the children’s charity which supports 300 families nationwide with home nursing care for children who have brain damage and who suffer severe intellectual and physical developmental delay.

The De Jager Tulip Festivals which takes place in fine historic houses in the UK as well as in Powerscourt this spring will celebrate the versatility of the fabulous tulip. De Jager owner, George Clowes says, “We want to demonstrate to visitors to the gardens and properties just how magnificent tulips are. How better to do this than to plant them in the grounds of a wonderful hotel on such an historic estate as Powerscourt.

All tulips on display, whether they are growing in the grounds or are cut and arranged in vases, will all be carefully labeled so that visitors know exactly what they are called.”

The hotel planted the 10,000 bulbs in the front lawn and entrance to the hotel where visitors and gardening enthusiasts alike will be able to enjoy the wonderful array of colourful tulips. Commenting on the festival Max Zanardi, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt said, “The hotel was delighted to be chosen to host this festival and receive such a large number of tulip bulbs which were planted last year. We chose locations on our grounds that would be most pleasing to the eye and where visitors can really appreciate the beauty. We thank De Jager for their generosity and hope to raise much needed funds for the Jack & Jill Foundation who were pivotal in recommending our hotel – right in the heart of the Garden of Ireland - for this festival.”

For more information on the Ritz Carlton, Powerscourt click here