Keukenhof Gardens

Let me level with you guys, I was not a flower person until I went to the Keukenhof Gardens. I’d once planted tulips as a kid, and I have a white peony named Boule-De-Neige that I’m particularly fond of, but other than that plants seem to die when I care for them.

When I convinced Aunt River that we should go to the Netherlands, she insisted that we see the Keukenhof Gardens. I took the idea in stride. It wasn’t my idea of an ideal destination but she wanted to see it and my inner Victorian didn’t dislike the idea of having a peaceful stroll in a garden, especially with good company. Mainly, I figured it would be good payback. For most of the trip I had overwhelmed Aunt River with historical knowledge, now she could overwhelm me with her gardening expertise.

To get to the gardens we took a bus from Amsterdam, and a quick note about that needs to be made here. Amsterdam is split up into two parts by the river Amstel. The south side is where most of the hotels and cultural sites are, but the bus that takes you to the Keukenhof gardens is on the northern side. You need to take a ferry to cross over, so just remember to allow time for that when you’re making your travel plans.

The bus ride wasn’t long, maybe about an hour or so, but the scenery was beautiful. There are tulip fields, houses, windmills, the whole atmosphere is very peaceful, soft, and quaint. Take in the scenery, or like I did, take a wee nap. You’ll be doing a lot of walking when you get there.

Every year in the fall exhibitors are asked to come to the Keukenhof Gardens to plant their tulip bulbs. In the spring it basically becomes an outdoor museum of everything these plants have to offer. Any colour, any shape you can imagine, curls, blotches, stripes, they’ve got them. It was really impressive to see what could be archived, but I think it’s best to have a little tour of Amsterdam Tulip Museum before you go. It gives some context to what you’re seeing, and it tells you how these flowers are created. I don’t think I would have been half as impressed with curled edges on tulip petals if I didn’t know that it was actually a virus that created them!

Keukenhof offers many more flowers than just tulips, but irregardless of what kind it is, each patch of flowers will have it’s own little plaque with both the name of the flowers as well as their growers. Take pictures of the ones you like because there are three kiosks within the gardens where you can order bulbs for yourself! You won’t be able to find all of them, but they do have a very wide selection, they’ll offer you free shipping if you spend over 100€, they ship internationally, and the bulbs should clear all import regulations for your country. They’ll arrive in the fall when the bulbs are ready to be planted.

The garden does provide a pleasant atmosphere and, for those of us who are secretly vampires, there are plenty of trees to provide shade for your promenade. Be sure to take a leisurely pace because there aren’t a lot of places to sit down. This especially holds true around lunch time. You can buy food at the garden, but bringing your own picnic blanket and packed lunch wouldn’t seem out of place.

Other than the flowers there is also a windmill you can climb and the main exhibit hall where each year artists bring their paintings, sculptures, and other works in accordance of that year’s theme. When Aunt River and I went the theme was 70s Flower Power.

Make sure you know when the last bus of the day leaves, and aim for the bus before that. You wouldn’t want to get stuck miles away from your hotel without hope of finding your way home! I would also recommend that set aside a good hour if not more at the kiosk if you plan on ordering tulips, even if you already know which ones you want. There’s a whole book to look through, and you’ll need to make sure that each tulip you want can grow in your area, whether or not they’ll naturalise, and where to put them in your garden for direct or indirect light. There’s a lot to consider, so take your time, and choose carefully. The bulbs are not cheap, but they’re definitely worth it!

Are there any gardens you’re particularly fond of? Let me know in the comments below, even if it’s your own!