The park, which stretches over 32 hectares, is dominated by tulips of all kinds of colors - as many as five thousand different species are represented, and daffodils, hyacinths and other bulbs also bloom.
Visitors are captivated not only by flowers, but also by the fascinating landscape, in which the shadows of century-old trees, the calm surface of lakes, flowering shrubs, awakening perennials and huge grassy areas blend into a harmonious whole. As befits a real park, there are also statues, fountains, terraces, staircases, bridges, conservatories and, of course, the traditional Dutch windmill, which serves to demonstrate the extraction of flour and from where the view stretches across Keukenhof and its endless flower fields .
An important anniversary
This year is particularly important in Keukenhof, as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of the park, which has been visited by more than 44 million flower lovers. However, the weight of years does not burden the park, because every spring it is younger, fresher and dressed in an extravagant dress of shapes and colors. On such an important anniversary, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands also visited the park and, at the opening of the flower exhibition, christened a new type of bright red tulip called the Spring Garden. This year is dedicated to another important anniversary. In 1609, two European explorers explored the northern and southern waterways around the area now known as New York State. One of them, the Englishman Henry Hudson, who served the Netherlands, sailed on the river that still bears his name (Hudson River) and separates Manhattan from the territory of the state of New Jersey. The important bond that has bound the United States and the Netherlands for 400 years is also the theme of this year's exhibition, and while walking through the park you can admire the floral portrait of the Statue of Liberty, which is formed by more than 50 thousand flowering bulbs, or the American garden and even the themed American path . Of course, the fact that American tourists make up ten percent of all visitors to Keukenhof is also important.
Humble beginnings
The beginnings of Keukenhof, located near the small town of Lisse, only 20 kilometers from Amsterdam, date back to 1949, when Dutch bulb growers wanted to demonstrate the quality of Dutch bulbs to potential customers. Thanks to the initiative of ten florists, the park ̶ once the property of Duchess Jacoba de Baviera, in which she hunted and collected supplies used in the kitchen (hence the name Keukenhof - kitchen garden) - belonged to them. Despite its humble beginnings, sixty years later the park is one of the most spectacular places in Europe and the most visited Dutch attraction in the springtime, visited by more than a million people every year.
Something for everyone
While visiting the park, you can visit gardens with different themes: aromatic, abstract, colorful, renaissance, water garden or see the permanent exhibition of exotic orchids and transfer some of the ideas to your own groves and gardens. The pedagogical aspect of Keukenhof is also important. Along the paths there are signs with information that teach us how to properly water the bulbs, how deep to plant them, what to pay attention to in winter, etc. Bulbs and seeds can of course also be bought in specialized stores that also offer gardening books, garden tools, fertilizers and other necessities for successful gardening.
Although the tulip is undoubtedly the symbol of Dutch flowers - a few years ago it celebrated its first four hundred years of inspiring artists and poets - cut flowers are a huge industry in the Netherlands. The Dutch flower industry, which includes cut flowers, growing bulbs and florist products, has a turnover of around four thousand million euros per year, and the Netherlands accounts for as much as 60% of the flower exporting countries. To better understand the important role the Netherlands plays in the world of flowers, we must visit Aalsmeer, just a few kilometers from Keukenhof, where five times a week a flower auction is held. 14 million flowers and 1.5 million plants are distributed around the world every time under the watchful eye of professionally trained dealers, and more than 50 thousand deals are concluded in a tense atmosphere. In front of the huge building stand two thousand trucks that deliver cargo all over the world. It is also interesting that among the 10 billion flowers sold per year, three types surpass the tulip: the rose, the chrysanthemum and the carnation, but none of them have managed to dislodge the tulip from the throne of popularity in the Netherlands.
When hunger strikes
In Keukenhof, you can satisfy your hunger in five restaurants, each of them of course has a terrace from which you can admire the park. All restaurants are self-service. If hunger strikes us right at the entrance, we can first turn into the restaurant next to the main entrance and treat ourselves to one of the typical Dutch specialties. Right next to the pond, which is one of the most photographed spots in the park, you can eat at the Wilhelmina Pavilion restaurant, whose interior in a funny way displays typical Dutch souvenirs: clogs, cows, Delft porcelain and cheese. If all roads lead to Rome, then in Keukenhof all roads lead to the Willem Alexander Pavilion, whose interior reflects the colors of the park in a very modern way. In addition to the above, we can also have refreshments in the restaurant in Beatrix's pavilion or in the tea pavilion, or simply snack on one of the delicious quickly prepared delicacies offered at the stalls.
How to get there
During the exhibition, almost all Amsterdam agencies offer day trips to Keukenhof, and most trips also include a visit to the flower auction in Aalsmeer. A train in the direction of Leiden also runs near the park, and a local bus runs from the station to the park. Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful experiences is cycling. This spring, in the Keukenhof area, you can cycle along six marked routes that meander through the fields of flowers. The longest and also the most diverse is 40 kilometers long, and the routes are equipped with information in seven languages. Keukenhof is an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages, which is why it has become one of the main tourist attractions in the Netherlands. In addition to the millions of flowering bulbs, the park can also boast of the fact that the park has the largest number of open-air sculptures in the Netherlands and that the park is one of the most photographed in the world, as every stop along the fifteen kilometers of paths leading through the park is worth taking a picture of. .
Some fans return year after year, and each year a new surprise awaits them, as the huge prak offers a new look every time. When the doors of Keukenhof close at the end of April, experts begin to design a park that will surprise visitors next year. They make new plans and design flower beds, adjust color combinations, add new shapes... Every year Keukenhof wants to surpass last year's Keukenhof. And he almost always succeeds.
Information:
– The park is open from March 19 to April 21, 2009 from 8 to 19:30, the box office closes at 18:00.
– Entrance fee: adults 13.50 euros, children (from 4 to 11 years) 6.50 euros, seniors free
– Parking lot: 6 euros
– Daily bike rental: 8.5 euros
– www.keukenhof.com – the website of the park, where you can also buy tickets
