A Dutch flag flew from the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill to celebrate the birth of the new Princess. In 1945, the people of the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to the Capital to thank Canadians for their part in the Liberation. The next year, Princess Juliana made a personal gift of 20,500 bulbs. Since then, the Netherlands has sent 10,000 bulbs every year. Canada contributes to the tulip legacy by purchasing more than 500,000 bulbs each year.
Capital has more tulips than any place outside of the Netherlands.
The touching story of Princess Juliana ' s refuge in Canada and the birth of her daughter, Margriet, comes to mind every spring when the tulips bloom in the Capital. But that isn ' t the only reason for the Dutch government ' s gift to Canadians. At the end of World War II, Canadian troops liberated the Netherlands from German invaders, bringing hope to the Dutch after five years of occupation. Romance bloomed amid the ruins of war as Canadian soldiers were invited into Dutch homes. When the soldiers returned, more than 1,800 war brides and 400 children came to Canada with them.