JOIN USEvery story has a beginning, and so does this one. There was once a flower that was unable to settle down anywhere. From the mountains in Kazakhstan, the flower bulb wandered about in Persia, China and Turkey, until a Dutch scientist took the bulb with him back home to a small European country and planted it there. The flower enjoyed the climate and the soil, and the inhabitants immediately fell in love with it and soon designated it a national symbol. It all sounds like a fairy tale, but this is the true story of the ‘tulip’.
Just imagine a historic parkland of about 80 acres brimming with flowering tulips, hyacinths, daffodils; a staggering seven million in all, including an astonishing 800 different varieties of tulips. A feast for your eyes, and in the midst of all this overwhelming display of colour: objects of art, special theme pavilions and events to celebrate the spring season. Keukenhof is an overwhelming experience for people of all ages. For keen gardeners and for people who simply enjoy a day out.
In a befitting tribute to the world’s most famous Dutch post-impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh, on his 125th birth anniversary, the 2015 edition of the Keukenhof flower show is dedicated to his memory.
The highlight of the Van Gogh year is a flower bulb mosaic of Vincent van Gogh, covering an area of 250 metres, made up of thousands of tulips and grape hyacinths (muscari bulbs). The flower shows display wonderful combinations of thousands of tulips and his paintings. Willem van Gogh, a relative of Vincent van Gogh, officially opened the 66th edition of the Keukenhof show in March.
Keukenhof is located in South Holland, between the towns of Hillegom and Lisse. The name Keukenhof literally means kitchen garden, and was first used in 15th century when the land belonged to Countess Jacoba Van Beieren.
The park has an amazing 15 km of walking paths and along the entire length of these paths, strips of turf grass are laid out and the tulips are arranged in different patterns and themes.
You’ll see Marilyn and Rambo and meet Prof Rontgen; then there are Rembrandt’s favourites, and mine too. There are red lips and Valentine’s; Blushing ladies and mistresses; fancy frills and foxtrots, all names of tulips, of course. Among the many varieties of tulips on show, encompassing the whole colour spectrum were an astounding variety of hybrids in combinations such as: the reds and the whites appropriately named flaming parrot; the fiery red and yellows aptly called Rambo. The newer variety, the dark lilac, almost black looking, queen of the night tulip, is the most sought-after and photographed tulip at Keukenhof. Then there is the tulip named Hollandia, in honour of Holland.
This year, Keukenhof’s innovation garden provides a sneak preview into upcoming novelties created by the Dutch bulb growers. Surprising bulb flowers with special shapes and unique colour combinations. These bulb flowers are the result of a long cultivation process.
Keeping up with modern times, Keukenhof has created a selfie garden. The sources of inspiration for the selfie garden are the many self-portraits of Van Gogh himself. Visitors can mail their selfies to Keukenhof beforehand and then see them here during their visit.
The planting of the tulip bulbs begins sometime between September and December so as to have the tulips in full bloom around the third week of March.
The Keukenhof gardens are open until May 17. So, if you’re planning a vacation to Europe this summer, a visit to the Keukenhof Tulip show is a must, where you can treat yourself to an unparalleled palette of colours and aromas in the pre-eminent tulip country of the world. The tulips at Keukenhof have an enchanting hold on you — you’ll come back again and again.