Tuesday 17 April 2012

Visiting the 'Keukenhof'



On a cold but sunny Monday, I visited the 'Keukenhof', the most beautiful spring garden in the world! Although it's been organised yearly for the past 60 years, it was my first visit ever! I already regret that!!



A bit of history:

Where Keukenhof is situated now, was a hunting area in the 15th century. Herbs for the kitchen of the castle of Jacoba van Beieren were also collected here; hence the name Keukenhof.

The current park was a section of the sizeable estate of Slot Teylingen, with beautiful untamed bushes and dunes. After the decease of Jacoba van Beieren Keukenhof fell into the hands of rich merchant families. Baron and baroness Van Pallandt invited landscape architects J.D. and L.P. Zocher, designers of the Amsterdam Vondelpark, to make a design for the garden around the castle. This design, in the English landscape style, has always been the basis of Keukenhof.

At the moment the estate belongs to a Foundation. On the initiative of the Lisse mayor of that time and a number of leading flower bulb growers and exporters, an open air flower exhibition was organised here for the first time in 1949. This expanded to an annually recurring event that has always drawn great numbers of visitors from all over the world. This is how Keukenhof became the park that we now know.


 

Some facts & figures:

Has won prizes as Europe’s most valued attraction

Keukenhof is unique and famous throughout the world

It is one of the most popular attractions in the Netherlands and
has clocked up more than 44 million visitors in the last 60 years

It is the largest bulb flower park in the world

It covers an area of 32 hectares 4.5 million tulips in 100 varieties

It is the most photographed place in the world

There are 15 kilometers of footpaths

It is the largest sculpture park in the Netherlands

The bulbs are supplied by 91 Royal Warrant Holders

7 million flower bulbs planted by hand

More than 2,500 trees in 87 varieties

Walk of Fame with tulips named after famous people
 

Of course I took my camera, but the biggest challenge starts here: what to show you? I made over 250 pictures... Well, I will just give it a try, and if you want to see more, just let me know and I will add another post with only pictures!
 
 

 













 



Not all (unfortunately) but lots of the bulb varieties you see, you can order.
Which, of course, we did! How to leave empty-handed? Impossible! Well, actually it is possible: we ordered what we liked and it will be delivered to our house in the beginning of October, when the bulbs need to be planted! Handy, isn't it??

It really was a lovely day: spending time with family, surrounded by gorgeous flowers, blue skies & sunshine... what else can you wish for?

So tell me, when will you visit Keukenhof?
(and please don't wait as long as I did)

7 comments:

Unknown said...

:(.....noooooooit geweest!! Hoe erg is dat????? Maar de foto's zijn prachtig!!!

X

Home and Lifestyle said...

Jaren geleden...toen ik nog een heel klein meisje was met kniekousjes aan, ben ik er geweest! Ik weet zeker dat ik het prachtig zou vinden, maar ik denk er nooit aan...!! Gelukkig heb ik hier al een beetje mee kunnen genieten ;)!

Lieve groet, Ingrid

Ineke said...

Que lindo estas fotos!!!

Orvalho e Geada said...

Chantal,teu blog é lindo. As tulipas são maravilhosas, nunca vi iguais.Quem sabe um dia vou vê-las pessoalmente!Abraços, tudo de bom para ti.Eugênia

Orvalho e Geada said...

Chantal,teu blog é lindo. As tulipas são maravilhosas, nunca vi iguais.Quem sabe um dia vou vê-las pessoalmente!Abraços, tudo de bom para ti.Eugênia

Elly's kleine idylle said...

Hoi Chantal,
Prachtig vind ik je foto's van de keukenhof.....Toch wel onze Neerlandse trots !!!!Wij zijn er ook een keer geweest en ik vond het toen ook heel mooi...heb je trouwens ook de tulp"Chantal" ook gezien ?????..Die is er namelijk ook.....Ik denk van achter naam Jansen...
Nog een fijne dag en veel lieve groetjes uit het hoge maar vooral koude brrrrr Noorden.
Elly......

flowersandhome said...

Ik wil er ook al lang eens naartoe. We zouden dit jaar gaan maar omstandigheden verhinderden dat. Hopelijk volgend jaar. O ja, laat die foto's maar komen. Het moet gewoon prachtig zijn.
Groetjes,
Marian

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