Discover the Beauty of Keukenhof in South Holland

Keukenhof: 7 Million Flowers in Bloom, Art, and Polders Beauty

Keukenhof South Holland : Keukenhof and millions of colorful tulips in South Holland. I had heard a lot about it, but had never been there. Was it a blind spot in my cultural experience or simply a shame that, as a Fleming, after 67 years, I had never taken the time to visit this world-famous flower garden? Keukenhof will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2024 and will be open from March 21 to May 12, 2024.

The Ade, a Story of Impermanence

With a stopover in Minderhout, we drive across the border into the Netherlands with Lauwers Travel. During the drive we bulldoze across the Hollandsch Diep, a wide tidal river in the Netherlands that forms the main lower reaches of the Waal and Meuse rivers. Our guide on the bus tells us that this region of the country might have belonged to Belgium. Hmm, that’s something I want to learn more about later.

With my hair in a fresh breeze, I contemplate the beautiful landscape. The boat pushes its way through the Ade, a short river/bog stream in South Holland that is part of the waterways around the Kagerplassen. It is a very short river, only 2 km long, lying entirely within the territory of the municipality of Kaag and Braassem. The polders are lower than the level of the water. This also means that these polders must be pumped out, and they have been doing this since 1800 with the famous Dutch mills that pump the water into the Kaagerplassen, which is then finally pumped through by way of pumping on the way, to the North Sea.

The Ade flows with a sharp S-bend through a characteristic South Holland peat meadow area with a few sparse farms along the shore. Both polders are islands, located on the northeastern edge of the Kagerplassen; they are inhabited and accessible only by ferries. Among other things, cows are moved by ferry and automatic ferry. The extensive fauna and flora, including many water birds, was redrawn into a painting or postcard thanks to the white cloud formations and blue sky.

After an hour of sailing with the necessary explanation from the captain, we were taken by our driver Andy to our final destination. Keukenhof! Since the reservation of our bus trip with Reizen Lauwers already included the entrance ticket or voucher, we hardly had to wait at the entrance. First we picked up a free floor plan, then had the voucher scanned via the QR code, and the flower adventure could begin.

Keukenhof : A Spring Festival for the Senses

Although Keukenhof is located in South Holland, it is not in the north of that province. The flower park is located in Lisse, west of Amsterdam and south of Haarlem. The bulb region is known for its tulip fields and other spring flowers, which create a veritable splash of color in the spring. The Keukenhof is not just a park; it is a work of art in the making. Landscape architects and florists create new themed gardens each year with passion and precision, planting flowers in every imaginable shape and pattern. Visitors walk along winding paths, through labyrinths of flowers, past mirrored water features and over bridges that lead to hidden nooks and crannies full of floral splendor.

A Historical Region

But like all beauty in nature, Keukenhof’s blooms are fleeting. As the spring months progress, the flowers begin to wilt. The brightly colored fields slowly turn green, and the intoxicating smell of flowers gives way to the fresh scent of grass. The Keukenhof closes its doors, and silence returns to the polders. Just think! Behind the scenes, people are already starting to prepare for the next tulip season right after the closing period.

Delve into the rich history of bulb growing in the 17th century

Keukenhof’s location in South Holland has a number of historical reasons. The land where Keukenhof is now located used to belong to the Keukenhof estate. This estate was already owned by noble families in the 15th century. The area around Lisse had been an important center for bulb cultivation for centuries. The sandy soil and climate here were ideal for growing tulips and other bulbous plants.

Lisse was already easily accessible by train in the 19th century. This made it an attractive location for an international flower exhibition, as Keukenhof would later become. Consequently, the region around Lisse offered the perfect conditions for growing the millions of flowers that can be admired each spring in Keukenhof, the most beautiful spring park in the world.

Dutchmen and the Tulip Madness

The tulip craze, a period of speculation and profiteering in the 17th century, put the Netherlands on the map as a land of floral splendor. The precious bulbs were traded as if they were gold, and fortunes were made and lost in the blink of an eye. Today, the tulip trade is more moderate, but the fascination with these beautiful flowers has remained unchanged.

20000 Visitors a day through hard work with passion!

Strolling through the mass of 20000 daily visitors, we visited one of the biggest crowd pullers in the Netherlands where about 75% of the visitors come from abroad. And that was evident in the new vegetarian restaurant ‘Jacoba’s Kitchen’ in the Oranje Nassau Pavilion. A completely new vegetarian restaurant with tasty dishes on the menu. A friendly Dutch hostess spoke to us in English. Hmm, that’s something I want to learn more about later. Turns out 90% of the visitors at Keukenhof speak a language other than Dutch. Well, I do understand. Before I forget, if you purchase anything in Keukenhof, please omit coins, only paying with bank cards is allowed. Toilet visits are free.

Walk royally through and past 7 million flowers

Keukenhof is neatly divided into pavilions with royal names such as Willem-Alexander, Beatrix, …, The basis of the shows is formed by 500 varieties of tulips in full soil right from the beginning of the season. But lovers of orchids, anthuriums, bulbous flowers, cut flowers and potted plants in a surprisingly colorful setting will also find plenty to enjoy. Read more below the photos

Keukenhof is not only a beautiful setting for 7 million spring blooms, but also lends itself perfectly to sculptures and other art objects. These add an extra dimension to the park. Keukenhof has a partnership with the Kröller-Müller Museum and 25 artists. The combination of the flowering park and visual art is surprising.

This tourist attraction therefore attracts many foreigners, as well as (hobby) gardeners and photographers. It is not only flowers of all colors that delight visitors, but also the creation of walkways along water features through green oases that make Keukenhof so special.

A (wind) mill originating in 1892 is one of the attractions. One can climb it for free for a beautiful view of the park and surrounding flower fields. The viewpoint of the mill is not accessible to wheelchairs/rollators or people with walking difficulties. Also keep in mind that if you want to take in that unique view that there can be long waits.

We could also enjoy the authentic barrel organ ‘De Adriaen‘ built in 1978 by Henk v/d Heuvel. He made use of the remains of an old Belgian barrel organ from 1920. De Adriaen’ works with a book system, invented in 1892. One plays on this musical gem all genres of music, both old, classical and latest hits from home and abroad.

After a few hours of wandering through Keukenhof, I feel fulfilled and inspired. The beauty of the flowers touched me deeply, and I realize how fragile and precious this splendor is. Like all beauty in nature, Keukenhof’s blooms are fleeting. The flowers will wilt, the fields turn green, and the intoxicating scent of flowers gives way to the fresh scent of grass.

But I know the beauty of Keukenhof will not be lost. The tulip bulbs rest underground, waiting for the moment when they will come back to life next spring and transform the polders once again into a sea of colors. I leave Keukenhof with a sense of gratitude and wonder. The journey through the polders and the visit to Keukenhof were an unforgettable experience that brought me closer to nature and taught me to appreciate what it has to offer.Tips:

– Reserve your admission ticket online to avoid long queues.
– Head out early to avoid the crowds.
– Bring comfortable shoes or sneakers because you will be stepping off a lot.
– Enjoy the picnic areas and bring your own lunch.
– Don’t forget your camera! You will be able to take wonderful photos and videos here.

Text, photos and video Verschueren Eddy