Amidst the rolling hills of Lackawanna County, a floral spectacle awaits visitors at Lakeland Orchard & Cidery. This year, the vibrant landscape will be painted with one million tulips, offering a unique opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in nature’s vivid palette.
Located in Scott Township, the farm offers a tractor ride to a sprawling four-acre field where visitors can capture the beauty through photos and even pick their own tulips to take home. “They’re such a happy flower,” remarked Julianne Roba, the farm manager, as preparations for the opening day were underway.
Blooming Seasons and Cultivation
The tulip fields are set to open on Saturday, April 18, with a hopeful continuity of blooms over the following month. Roba highlights the unpredictability of tulip cultivation, stating, “That’s the tricky thing about tulips. We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature here.”
Thriving in cooler spring temperatures, tulips are perennials that return annually. Lakeland’s public tulip fields, initiated in 2025, are planted in a variety of colors and patterns. A towering windmill in the field pays homage to the tulip’s Dutch origins, as Roba notes, “We get our bulbs in from Holland. They’re the tulip capital of the world.”
This year, about 30% of the tulips are expected to bloom by opening day. The bulbs, planted in the fall after arriving in late summer, have been encouraged by the recent warm weather. “We’re hoping, as long as it doesn’t stay too hot, we’ll be able to have our tulip blooms until Mother’s Day,” Roba explained.
To prevent disease, specifically the rapid-spreading “tulip fire,” Lakeland rotates its tulip planting across two fields. “You have to rotate your fields to try to stay ahead of that disease,” Roba said. This practice also extends the farm’s season beyond its traditional fall attractions.
Farm Growth and Attractions
Originally acquired by John Roba in the late ’90s to expand the Roba Family Farms, Lakeland Orchard opened its doors as an apple orchard in 2013 and rebranded in 2019 to include a cidery. Now operational from May to October, the farm employs approximately 400 people.
Julianne Roba, who is married to John’s son Jeff, is part of the second generation leading the family business. This year, the farm expands its attractions with a 100-foot gondola Ferris wheel currently en route from Turkey. “People can get on it and see, number one, all of our fields,” Roba said, describing the panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes.
In addition to the Ferris wheel, visitors can look forward to new features such as a donut shop, a permanent structure for the corn box, and updated restrooms. The tulip festival is set to run through May 17, with baby animal days starting May 7.
