Reading time: 5 min.
April 2016, Lisse – Netherlands
Welcome to
The Garden of Europe,
also known as
The Castle’s Kitchen Garden,
placed on
15th Century Hunting Grounds,
turning into a
Hybrid flowers Exhibit !
Nowadays, you’ll find it as Keukenhof Gardens, a flower paradise southwest of Amsterdam.
Here is one good reason to wait for spring.
April is that time of the year when the land erupts in an explosion of colours. The bulbs slowly come to life under the tickling of the sun. Warmth, glow and vibration return, and go deep into your soul. Winter is over.
So we are in Amsterdam for a few days, and head to the small town of Lisse one morning.
Fields of baby tulips come into sight on each side of the road, just waiting for a few more days of spring to bloom. Our bus finally stops, and the park reveals its beauty under our eyes: 32 hectares with 7 million flower bulbs.
Whoa, is this for real? We’re so happy, perfect timing!
There are only a few weeks a year, from mid-March to mid-May, when you can witness the tulips spring miracle in the Netherlands.
There is something pretty wonderful about following the sweet scent of daffodils, hyacinths, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and tulips, through the trees, and in the same time be greeted with an ocean of green, in a perfect landscape architecture.
We are wandering from the Tulpomania, to the Historical Garden to learn the story of 400 years of tulip cultivation in Holland. Take pictures.
We keep walking, from the Romantic and Golden Age Gardens to the Orchid Shows. Have an icecream. Take pictures.
Climb the stairs of the Dutch Windmill, to the top, and admire the surrounding bulb fields. Take pictures. Enjoy a coffee in the warm sun.
Get lost into the hedge maze. Take pictures.
The camera is smiling. I almost envy it for keeping images so much clearer than in my mind. But the perfume…oh…the floral scent is unbeatable. And no camera can store it. Yet. 🙂
It’s almost closing time, so we are rushing to the flower bulbs shop to take some home. And ‘some’ is not quite the word i have in mind.
We are finally in the bus, heading to Amsterdam. What a day. No other words to describe it: spring at its best!
Travel Tips
Keukenhof is open only 8 weeks a year; check the schedule and also the weather in Holland before planning your visit. We visited it in mid-April and the tulips were in bloom.
There is a Keukenhof Express bus station right outside Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The bus takes you to the park entry in about 35 minutes, without any additional stops. We paid 24 € each for the Combi Ticket (bus ride + park entrance).
Happy travels and stay safe!
HaiHui Story 
Your post brings back great memories. I recently completed a painting based on a couple I saw in the gardens.
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Aww…so happy to hear that! 🙂 i’d love to see the painting 🙂
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We only went to Amsterdam for a couple day with the tour, limited to what we could see. I love garden. I love flowers. Thank you for sharing.
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If you have an extra day to spare while in Amsterdam, and it is spring, then the Keukenhof garden is a must! It is the most beautiful park i have ever seen! 🙂
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I think we went in May, it was a rainy day!
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This looks so nice! I really hope I can manage to visit this year
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🙂 you still have some time left, it is open until 21 may this year!
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We’ve had a couple of great visits here. Your pictures are lovely. Thanks for visiting The Glasgow Gallivanter.
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Cheers! 🙂
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Such a good way to describe it – spring at its best! We were there last April too!
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Awww…so maybe we crossed our paths without even knowing :)))) it was the best day spent in Holland! Hope to find other beauties this time as well!:)
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Yes you never know, we might have! Looking forward to seeing what you discover this trip!
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Fingers crossed! 🙂
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You really make it seem really easy with your presentation however I in finding this matter to be really something that I feel I might never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely extensive for me. I’m taking a look ahead on your next publish, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
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Hi Alex! 🙂 what is exactly difficult to understand? The day at the keukenhof gardens is just a trip outside Amsterdam, it can be done in 1 day. There is nothing much to tell about it, the photos are quite enough…i hope you’ll find what you’re looking for in the other posts. There are a lot more from around Europe on the blog. Cheers!
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I’m not certain the place you’re getting your info, however good topic. I must spend some time finding out more or working out more. Thank you for excellent info I used to be searching for this info for my mission.
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F*ckin’ tremendous things here. I am very glad to look your post. Thanks a lot and i am having a look forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
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Hello Alex! The info about the places is just what we heard when being there, from the walking tours or maps and orientatiom guides we received when buying the tickets 🙂 you can contact us at haihuistory@gmail.com . Thanks!
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