CityState: Business
Keriann, Jeroen and Kees
Koeman in a field of tulips.
Wicked Tulips
Keriann and Jeroen Koeman of Wicked Tulips uprooted their flower farm in Johnston
and moved to a bigger location at Schartner Farms in Exeter. By Emily Homonoff
step with a lot of risk so we had really high hopes for the farm, but
were very surprised at how quickly it grew. We owe so much of
this to the Rhode Island community who took us in and made us
their own before we even opened.
You’re now located at Schartner Farms. What can attendees expect
about their experience? One of our biggest changes is that we have
two more acres of land, which means seven whole acres of tulips.
Now that we have more land, we can also allow for coach buses to
come to the event and Schartner Farms may be bringing back their
beloved fries and brats, so stay tuned.
Can you tell us what it took to make the move to Schartner Farms?
We had to prepare the new field very quickly and we needed to
redo all our parking and event plans to fit the new venue. It’s a lot
of work, making sure the traffic flow runs smoothly, having back
up parking for wet conditions, making sure the flow of people also
works with where we have all our tents etcetera set up. There are
so many little details that can really make the difference in whether
or not things run smoothly.
What is your favorite part/moment of the season? I [Keriann] joke
and say when it’s over, but we both really love opening day. The
weather is gorgeous, the tulips are fresh and everyone’s happy.
That’s when the pressure just falls off.
How can folks keep the magic of Wicked Tulips alive throughout
the year? We love inspiring gardening and want everyone to bring
a little bit of beauty into their home, so we sell the same high-quality
bulbs that we import from Holland. They’re for sale online or during
the U-Pick event and ship in the fall once they’ve been properly
harvested. You’ll have the choice of fifteen varieties, which we’ll
be highlighting in the show garden, or you can choose a surprise
mix. Either way these tulips will give you that OMG factor and
will be unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere.
The 2020 Wicked Tulips U-pick event is at a new location at 1 Arnold Pl., Exeter. Tickets are required and must be purchased online in advance
when they go on sale a few days before the opening date is announced in mid-spring. Sign up for the Wicked Tulips newsletter to get updates
and special pre-season ticket deals. The event sells out quickly. wickedtulips.com; @WickedTulips
20 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l
APRIL 2020
This is now the fifth season for Wicked Tulips, did you ever imagine
that it would get so big? How do you handle the overwhelming
response? When we moved up from Virginia we were taking a big