A visit to Keukenhof in Holland to enjoy the Tulips!

During our 17 years in Brussels we have never visited Keukenhof, the Garden of Europe as it is known. Well, we actually passed by once but it was the wrong time of the year so we didn't see any flowers. Mid-April (depending on the weather as always is the best time to go there to see the tulips but also a lot of other flowers. On top of this I can tell you that we were not alone. It is amazing to see all these people in all different angles, standing, leaning, bending, kneeing, sitting, lying and I don't know what angle to try to get a good photo of the flowers. People use not only cameras (some bring their tripods with them so it looks really professional) but also ipads and smart phones. It seems to be a mecca for photographers. Well, we took a few photos as well. My husband did most and he tends to inflate them. But that is the luxury of the digital photo cameras today. I delete some of them discreetly afterwards!

Flowers in various arrangements

Keukenhof means 'Kitchen garden' and is the world's largest flower garden. It is situated in Lisse in the Netherlands (just north of Den Haag). The park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted here every year. It is open annually from mid-March to mid-May. The parking guard told me they have 4.000 cars a day during this time.

Since I read Mike Dash's book Tulipomania  I have been a little bit of a tulip freak myself. I have always loved them but now they are closing in on obsession (but only a mild one). I really think it is a wonderful flower and today, when you see all the different shapes and colours they come in, it is really amazing. That is all I am going to say about this. I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

From the House of Orchids 

Looks like a giant orchid!

A blue river of  Muscari!





Tulips in different colours and shapes

Me trying to blend in! Perfectly dressed 

for the occasion it seems!

Fields of colour

And...if you want to know what is done when in
the tulip world you can have a look at this board.