Tulips and cherry blossoms at the Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario (© J Duquette/Getty Images)

It starts quietly—rows of tulips opening along the Rideau Canal as spring settles in. Then the story catches up. The Canadian Tulip Festival begins today, marking its 74th year, but its roots go back to wartime Europe. In 1945, after Canada helped liberate the Netherlands and hosted Princess Juliana during her exile, a gift of tulip bulbs arrived in Ottawa. That tradition didn't end; it returned each year, growing into today's festival.