Flowers of Amsterdam
Purple hyacinths, pink crocuses, yellow daffodils and naturally our national treasure: the tulip. A walk or cycle trip through the bollenstreek (Holland’s bulb-growing area) is a festival of colour. Especially in the spring, because then everything is in full bloom. A full canvas of vibrant colours. If that doesn’t lift your spirits…
Bollenstreek
After the crocuses, it’s the turn of the tulips, daffodils and hyacinths to bloom, an impressive display which begins at the end of March and continues into May. In late summer the gladioli, dahlias, carnations and asters stage a second show of colour. How did the growing of flowers start? Digging dunes in the second half of the 19th century, it was discovered that the sandy soil left behind was extremely well suited to the cultivation of flower bulbs. And thus Holland’s thriving flower industry was born. Find out more about the history and development of the flower bulb region in Museum De Zwarte Tulp (‘Black Tulip Museum’) in Lisse. You’ll see that the Dutch are proud of their flowers. And so they’re keen to show them off in the world’s largest flower parade which passes through the bollenstreek with some fifty magnificent floats and bands. Celebrate the joys of spring with them!
Flower auction
The Netherlands is the international trade centre for flowers and plants with its epicentre, Flora Holland in Aalsmeer, being the largest flower auction house in the world. The auctions are a fascinating sight and well worth getting up early for! Keen to know more about the auction process? Then visit De Historische Tuin (‘The Historic Garden’) in Aalsmeer where a replica of an auction hall has been built with a large clock from the 1930s. Get yourself a lovely bunch of roses here from the garden by ‘Dutch auction’. The trick is to pay as little as possible.
Keukenhof
332 hectares of the finest flowers, plants, gardens and woods: this is the world-famous Keukenhof in Lisse. The sights and scents are a veritable feast for the senses. Allow yourself to be inspired by the displays, take a tour or a trip on an electric boat. Perhaps you’ll go away with great ideas for your own garden!
