What do you think of when you hear the word “Kuekenhof”? No, it is not a German coffee cake. Keukenhof is a world famous tulip garden open to the public every spring in Holland. If you have ever seen a poster of tulips in Holland, it is probably from there.
I visited Keukenhof as part of a Vantage River Cruise called “Waterways of Holland and Belgium: Tulips, Windmills and Canals.” The gardens had more beautiful tulips than I have ever seen in one place. For this reason, when I walked through the gardens, a spectacle of colors and perfumes overwhelmed me. There are millions of tulips! As a result, I felt as though I was adrift on a sea of flowers.
Keukenhof – The Kitchen Garden
Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. Situated in the town of Lisse, in the Netherlands, the Park covers an area of 79 acres. It is situated on the 15th-century hunting grounds of a Dutch castle and was the castle’s kitchen garden (Keukenhof in Dutch means “kitchen garden”), providing game, fruit and vegetables.
Synchronized Blooms
Each fall, 40 gardeners plant 7 million bulbs, donated to the park by over 100 growers. The planters synchronize the flowerbeds to the different bulb flowerings to ensure blooms throughout the duration of the park’s 8-week opening. To ensure continuous bloom, they plant three bulbs in each location. The shallowest bulb will bloom first for three weeks, followed by the subsequent layers.
Millions of Flowers
Four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers.
Divided across various gardens and pavilions, the tulips and other flowers number in the millions. Keukenhof has a different theme each year, meaning that it is never the same.
Keukenhof Open in the Spring
The Gardens are only open to the public for an 8-week tulip display from mid-march to mid-April. Peak view is mid-April, hence, that is when I visited.
Summary
Unique in the world, Keukenhof normally attracts 1.5 million visitors from 100 countries. Unfortunately, this year, COVID-19, has closed the park for the first time since 1950. They hope to re-open for spring 2021.
Tulip season in Holland has long been on my travel bucket list. Your beautiful photos make me want to go more than ever!
Hopefully, we will all be able to travel to Europe again soon.
This is just breathtaking. What gorgeous flowers for sure. And a great trip. Thanks for sharing.
Yes. The flowers are definitely unforgettable. The few tulips I had in my garden were eaten by the deer.
I’ve dreamed of seeing all the tulips in Holland someday. Just being amidst that much beauty and color would take my breath away. Thank you for sharing your journey and your photos!
Hopefully, you will be able to see them for yourself some day.
That is absolutely beautiful! I love all the different varieties!
I never knew there were so many varieties either.
So many beautiful tulips!
Thousands and thousands of tulips maybe millions.
This is absolutely gorgeous! I would love to see it in person one day! Great pictures!
I hope you do get to see it in person. It is hard to describe but photos help.
I love tulips! The Mozart display made me smile. So beautiful!
Yes. The Mozart display was really special. Made me smile too.
Wow these are very beautiful pictures! I just love flowers they are so pretty!
Thank you, Brianna. I love the flowers too!
I would love to see the tulips in person!!!
I hope you get to visit one day.
I visited this garden in the 70’s (!!) and am happy to see it is just as lovely today. So sorry it’s had to close during the pandemic but I hope they can reopen soon.
Yes, it is sad that they lost an entire season.
A couple of years ago we went to a tulip farm. It was spectacular and such a fun day but nothing on this grand a scale. Lovely.
It is huge as are the rows and rows of tulips that the local farmers plant.
Never heard of this, how beautiful!
Not many people know about it. Now you are in on the secret!
I love tulips. They don’t grow well where I’m at but I enjoy seeing them in gardens in other locations. Your pictures are gorgeous!
Thanks. It is easy to take good pictures when you have such beautiful subjects!
These are so beautiful!
I agree. Thanks.
Beautiful photos!! Bucket list!! Was in Amsterdam in May last year so we were too late!!
Yes. I had to try to time it just right and it worked out.
I would love to see the Tulips! They are so beautiful! I had a friend that lived there send me all sorts of fun items that had Tulips all over it.
Yes, the tulip seems to be their national theme. They are everywhere.
Tulips are my favorite flower, despite them seeming to die almost as soon as they open. I love their rainbow colors and when you see thousands of them all together–wow! I would LOVE to visit this part of Holland.
I find them difficult to grow because the deer keep eating them!
It’s on my European list, and this is inspiring! If I could just stop going to Italy that would help haha!
Who can stop going to Italy? It is magnificent.
I bet it is even more spectacular looking in person, beautiful 😍
It is but the photos help.
Absolutely beautiful and very informative!
Oh My! I LOVE tulips! Going to Holland to see the tulips in bloom is an actual bucket list item for me. Hubby laughs at the thought, but we will get there one day! Thanks for sharing the amazing photos! And a river cruise just sounds divine!
I really hope it to make to this some day. Tulips are my favorite!!
Wow beautiful! I was supposed to be here in early May this year but it was cancelled…sigh.
Yes. So many cancellations. So many mised cruises.
This is so beautiful! Wish there was something like this in the U. S.
What a beautiful experience! I’d love to see those millions of tulips.
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