World's Largest Tulip Display
Annual Kaleidoscope of Colors and Shapes in Park in Holland
Mar 16, 2007
From the first day of spring through mid-May, this park is an adventure of color and shape, for nature lovers, photographers, and, of course, gardeners.
Keukenhof Gardens is one hour from Amsterdam, world famous for its tulip gardens, planted with hundreds of varieties, including some rarely seen outside the garden's gates. Seven million tulips. It boggles the mind.
The theme for this year's Keukenhof is "300 Birthday of Linnaeus, the King of Flowers". Linnaeus was a physician and botanist who developed a metod of classifying tulips that is still in use today. You might say he helped plant the seeds of the Dutch tulip industry.
The annual opening of the Keukenhof comes close to being a national holiday in Holland, an important enough event that the tulip festival is being opened by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the home country of Linnaeus.
The real Dutch national holiday is April 30th, which is celebrated as the birthday of Queen Beatrix, and known as Queen's Day. There are parties and parades everywhere, most especially in Amsterdam, where the city turns into a giant street fair.
Back to the flower festival at the Keukenhof --
In addition to the tulips, there are acres of flowering plants and shrubs, including hyacinths and narcissus. Also this year, children planted bulbs in the outline of children's book heroine Pippi Longstocking. This flower mosaic measures more than 30 feet long and 40 feet wide.
Yes, it is most definitely adventure travel to hike through an endless field of flowers in a riot of colors, or swim through the happy crowds at a giant street party.
For more about gardens, check out the home and garden pages here on Suite 101.
