Journey North International Plant Study

Tulips Tulips

Colorado Elevation Experiment Schools

Our Colorado schools are located at elevations from 4,662 to 8,909 feet. Meet the students and gather information to help you predict how many days between the first and last gardens to emerge this spring.

Crested Butte Community School: Elevation 8,909 Feet
Bobby Pogoloff and her third graders are pretty excited about their Journey North garden. Here is what they shared with us recently:

"Here are some photos taken at the site of our tulip garden on Feb. 13, 2003. Our tulips will one day welcome the gardeners at our Community Gardens. As you can see, it is hard for us to believe tulips are emerging anywhere! Every time we plan a tulip activity it snows, it even snowed when we were planting the bulbs. We wish our beautiful 12,000 foot mountains showed up in the pictures. Here in Crested Butte we are entering the snowiest months of the year. I asked the students what they thought the bulbs might be doing. Here are some responses:

Luis thought our tulips might be hibernating or sleeping.
Jackson said he was beginning to look forward to warmer weather and the bulbs might also be "thinking" about spring.
Elias thinks they have spent the winter preparing to grow and may have started growing under the snow.
Sara thinks they are getting ready to bloom!
Morgan wondered if they were resting until it gets warmer."

Aspen Elementary School: Elevation 7907 Feet
The view from this mountain school would bring envy to many downhill ski and snowboard enthusiasts! In the mountains behind the school in this picture is the Buttermilk-Tiehack Ski Area. And, of course, Aspen Mountain Ski area is just around the corner.

Visit Aspen Elementary's Web site

Fraser Valley Elementary: Elevation 8,550 Feet

Mrs. Patty Finnigan and her class originally joined the Journey North International Plant study to learn more geography skills. Now their school is more beautiful, too. They are back after participating in this program several years ago. Their tulips are late bloomers because of their altitude.--8,550 ft!

South Park Elementary, Pueblo, CO: Elevation 4,662 Feet

Mrs. Kathleen Allen and her 4th grade students were thrilled to be part of this elevation experiment:

"We would be happy to participate in your experiment. Thanks for inviting us!"

Do you think we can expect them to report their tulips emerging first? Why?