Shea Simmons
The historic Mohonk Mountain House Spa and Resort intended to hold a tulip festival this year. However, social-distancing guidelines made it impossible. But the resort still made everyone at a senior living home happy when it donated thousands of tulips to their facility.
A whopping 20,000 blooms were planted on the grounds of the Mohonk in anticipation of the event. Thankfully, the resort was able to convert the festival into a virtual experience with online art lessons, tours of the flowers, and musical performances. But that wasn’t enough for Kate Weston Smiley, one of the founding family members of the resort.
Smiley and four other women decided to find a way for people to enjoy the flowers in person, not just online. Together, the women harvested hundreds of flowers and delivered them to the nearby Woodland Pond senior home. The residents were then able to create their own arrangements for their rooms.
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According to Better Homes & Gardens, the resort hopes to host the event normally in 2021, but Tom Smiley, chief executive officer of the Mohonk, told the outlet everything worked out for the best this year.
“We’re delighted that our virtual tulip festival became a joyful festival in real life for the residents of Woodland Pond,” Smiley said.
You can still see some moments from the online festival at the resort’s website.
[Via Better Homes & Gardens]
