Hallo uit Amsterdam! (Part 2)- Keukenhof Flower Fields
I was able to experience one of the great Spring wonders of Europe today. The Keukenhof Gardens are the largest bulb-flower park in the world, which is only open for limited time each year – only 8 weeks. The month of April is known as the sweet spot for viewing – how fortunate for me!
Millions of tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and other spring-flowering bulbs dazzled the senses today as I wandered these amazingly well-designed and planned gardens. The Keukenhof theme for 2018 is “Romance in Flowers”. After all, the two are inextricably linked. The most beautiful spring park in the world with its sea of flowers put all into a romantic, spring mood.
This year over 7 million bulbs are blooming with 800 varieties of tulips on over 79 acres! The tulip mosaic featured 50,000 bulbs.
As always, I love to provide a little history for you. So here you go…
History of Keukenhof
The history of Keukenhof dates back to the 15th-century. Countess Jacoba van Beieren [Jacqueline of Bavaria] (1401-1436) gathered fruit and vegetables from the Keukenduin [kitchen dunes] for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to encompass an area of over 200 hectares (494 acres).
Landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who also designed Amsterdam's Vondelpark, redesigned the castle gardens in 1857. That park, in the English landscape style, still constitutes the basis of Keukenhof.
In 1949, a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs, signaling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. The park opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant success, with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. 2018 is the 69th edition of Keukenhof.
Now without further ado, please enjoy photos of this exquisite garden!
Please stay tuned for Part 3 of my adventures in Amsterdam.
Until next time,
Your Polite Adventuress,
Kari