The farm was established by Cees and Johanna Tesselaar, who began growing tulips after recognizing that the soil and climate in the Dandenong Ranges closely resembled their native Netherlands.
The tulip festival was initiated in 1954 as a publicity event to showcase the farm's bulb quality to local gardeners.
Each year, the planting team reconfigures the garden designs, meaning the floral layout is never identical from one season to the next.
The farm utilizes an irrigation system that pulls water from deep dams on the property to sustain the high-density bulb population.
Beyond tulips, the farm cultivates sunflowers and various seasonal blooms depending on the agricultural calendar.
The operation produces millions of bulbs that are harvested and sold for commercial and private gardens across Australia.
Tesselaar Flower Farm is a working farm in Silvan, Victoria, primarily recognized for hosting the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival. The property spans significant acreage featuring over one million planted tulip bulbs each season. Beyond tulips, the farm hosts specialized events including the Food, Wine & Jazz Festival and the Rare Plant Fair. The agricultural operation has been family-owned for several generations since emigrating from the Netherlands in 1939. Visitors can walk through designated garden paths that display various floral themes. The farm serves as a major horticultural destination within the Dandenong Ranges region.
The central primary garden beds looking toward the Dandenong Ranges horizon line.
Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes as garden paths are made of soil and can become muddy after rainfall.
Check the official website's 'Bloom Report' before visiting to ensure peak flowering status.
Bring a portable battery pack, as extensive photography often drains mobile devices quickly.
Attempting to visit outside of the scheduled festival or event windows, as the farm may be closed to the public during maintenance periods.
Operates as a seasonal attraction with specific opening windows for the Tulip Festival in spring and other limited-time events throughout the year; generally closed to the public outside these event windows.
Stay on marked garden paths and do not pick the flowers, as the plants are part of a commercial harvest cycle.
