Holland's Keukenhof Gardens

Each year over 7,000,000 bulbs are hand-planted to create the world's largest flower garden in the small town of Lisse (about 15 miles south of Amsterdam in the Netherlands). The mere mention of Keukenhof makes the hearts of gardeners (such as me) skip a beat.

In 1949, the mayor of Lisse along with some leading bulb exporters and flower growers created an open air flower exhibition on today's site of Keukenhof Park. Over the years, the size of the park, number and variety of bulbs, and the number of visitors has grown into the infamous garden that is loved by millions today.

Keukenhof literally means 'kitchen garden' and was so named because it was the herb garden outside the castle kitchen of Jacoba van Beieren. The herb garden along with a vast hunting area around that castle now comprise the modern Keukenhof Park grounds.

The Dutch ornamental bulb industry shows off its best bulbs during the annual park exhibit as well as in the indoor shows where they present their most beautiful cut flowers. Each year, 93 local growers and exporters supply Keukenhof with their 'cream of the crop' bulbs for planting within the garden. 

 
Five of these suppliers have bulb sales points within the park where you can order Spring blooming flowers that will be mailed to you for planting in Autumn. They also sell the large Amaryllis bulbs, cut flowers, and summer bulbs that you can purchase and carry home with you. If you have a garden, what better way to increase its beauty than with tulips direct from the Netherlands!

 Keukenhof, where spring bursts into bloom. In addition to being unique and world-famous, the park has also been one of the most popular attractions in the Netherlands for years. Keukenhof is the most colourful and fragrant place you can visit, with over 7 million flowers forming a beautiful setting for the most fabulous photos. Come to Keukenhof and enjoy the ultimate spring feeling.

Each year, nearly 1,000,000 people ranging from locals to presidents of foreign countries to tourists flock to Keukenhof to pay tribute to the best bulb garden in the world.

In 2009, Keukenhof is scheduled to be open from March 19th - May 21st. Getting to and from the park has been made easier with public buses running directly to the park from Schipol Airport (Amsterdam's main airport) and Lisse. In addition, many bus tour companies offer Keukenhof Garden tours from Amsterdam. There is also plenty of parking if you drive directly to the garden.Handicapped access is excellent with paved walkways and accessible bathrooms and restaurants throughout the park. Baby changing facilities are also available. There are a number of restaurants throughout the park, but we honestly did not find the food all that appealing.

Four indoor pavilions stand on the grounds of Keukenhof Park - Oranje Nassau Pavilion, Beatrix Pavillion, Willem Alexander Pavilion, and Juliana. Throughout the park's eight week opening, the indoor exhibitions change weekly. Growers from across the Netherlands display their flowers in the exhibitions where they are competitively judged. The best of the best come out for these competitions where prizes are awarded for a wide range of categories such as best presentation or best flower quality.

As you enter Keukenhof, you will not only be greeted by millions of blooms, but also by the manmade lake and meandering streams that cover a large portion of the park. The lake is home to many swans and ducks that float along without a care in the world. Children feed them from a nearby dock and a bountiful array of flowers surround them and the lake. The lake provided a stunning backdrop for our pictures.
Timing is everything when it comes to visiting the world's largest bulb garden because it is only open for 8 weeks in the Spring of each year. In 2011, it will be open from March 24th - May 20th. The peak bloom time for the spectacular display varies slightly based on the weather conditions such as temperature and amount of rain, but visiting in mid-April is usually the best bet.