Kat Von D's black tulip field is a free public display of 15,000 Queen of the Night tulips planted at the corner of W. Turnpike Street and Main Cross Street in Vevay, Indiana, directly in front of her 35-room Schenck Mansion. The field typically peaks in early to mid-April and stays in bloom for about two weeks. Visitors are welcome to view and photograph the tulips from the public road, but the mansion grounds remain private.

A gothic garden along the Ohio River

In the small river town of Vevay, Indiana, one of the most unusual flower displays in the Midwest blooms each spring. Thousands of dark, velvety tulips rise in a moody wave outside the historic Schenck Mansion, where celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D has been quietly turning Vevay into a destination since she moved here from Los Angeles in 2021.

Most tulip fields are filled with bright reds, pinks, and yellows. This one is very different. The variety planted here is the Queen of the Night, one of the darkest tulips in the world. The petals are actually a deep blend of maroon and purple that reads as black in full sunlight, especially as the blooms mature.

How the black tulip field came to Vevay

Kat Von D purchased the Schenck Mansion, a 35-room Second Empire-style estate, for $1.5 million in 2021. She bought it from longtime Vevay resident Lisa Fisher, who still owns the field directly in front of the mansion. The collaboration came together when Von D approached Fisher about doing something with the empty lot.

The first bloom season debuted in spring 2024 with roughly 10,000 bulbs. After a smaller 2025 display affected by deer damage, the 2026 planting expanded to 15,000 bulbs, and the team added designated walking paths through the field. The bulbs are replanted each fall, and the field has become one of the most photographed spring scenes in Indiana.

For more on the area's character, browse our Southeast Indiana