I remember that sunny morning of April 2008 when I visited Keukenhof with my colleagues from Pakistan. Keukenhof is the world's largest flower garden where approximately 7,000,000 (seven million) flower bulbs are planted annually.
It's located in South Holland in the small town of Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. Bus can be catched from train stations of Haarlem, Leiden and Schiphol to access this bulbous paradise.
Kaukenhof was established by mayor of Lisse in 1949, to promote the Netherlands flower export industry ( Netherlands is the world's largest flower exporter now).
It opens normally from the last week of March to mid-May. In 2008 when I visited, it was opened from 20 March to 18 May. While in 2010, it will be open from 18 March to 16 May according to its official website.
This historic park is spread colorfully over a big land piece of 32 hectare with 15 kilometers of footpaths. It's very well planned and enormously filled with blooming tulips, hyacinths, irises, daffodils and other spring bulbs.
The area where it's situated is also know as the "Dune and bulb Region" (Dune- en Bollenstreek in Dutch). The flowers fields outside the garden are evidence of this.
This park is also quite visible through following video.
Overall, this was a great experience and I enjoyed it very much. I get excited by the magnificent specs of color whenever I remember this exquisite work of art and nature. I strongly recommend that take your camera along on this unique experience to get it with you for your whole life.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256334257726#c1341787840236985831'> October 23, 2009 2:44 PM
Thanks for showing us this amazing place. Your photos are beautiful. I love the colours and the space. Have a nice weekend.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256348940627#c3113679847980323579'> October 23, 2009 6:49 PM
Wow! That is just beautiful. 7 million bulbs, I can't imagine the time it would take to plant in the patterns they have. I bet it smelled wonderful.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256350256531#c4015297197231050006'> October 23, 2009 7:10 PM
this would be a great place to tour!
now..you asked about the cactus seeds...I got mine in the grocery store one day...you can usually get them where ever seeds are sold...or online at Vesseys or Stokes. I put them on top of the soil...watered from below...and put a clear glass plate on top to keep them warm and moist...now...it takes forever to get them to sprout but the way they develop is just so neat!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256350374101#c2392924681851344908'> October 23, 2009 7:12 PM
a bulbous paradise indeed! Can you imagine how much is going on under the soil level at that place?
It's so neat and tidy too. I bet it's just stunning in the spring!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256389682250#c5372968353290380107'> October 24, 2009 6:08 AM
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256428819876#c6395936001222393922'> October 24, 2009 5:00 PM
Saif, your photos absolutely did justice to this amazing public garden! I would give anything to visit Holland one day during peak bulb season. Seven million? Unfathomable!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256429731255#c4761664940492175785'> October 24, 2009 5:15 PM
Well, here is another great reason for me to visit Holland. We have friends there who have been encouraging us to visit.
The gardens are spectacular. I particularly love the blue colored flowers. Thank you for a great post.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256545543964#c6056035095364012961'> October 26, 2009 1:25 AM
I really love to see those blue flowers - truly refreshing!!! Thanks for sharing.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256571583885#c1277394359976157041'> October 26, 2009 8:39 AM
That is the garden I want to see before I die! I love bulbs. Thanks for sharing.
Rosey
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256673993193#c6169644134589735156'> October 27, 2009 1:06 PM
7 million bulbs? Well that certainly puts things into perspective. I start whining at 600. I bet this is a wonderful and intoxicating place to visit!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256696047044#c8306201318466619474'> October 27, 2009 7:14 PM
thanks for following my garden photo blog...I don't post to it much...I use the tootsietime.com one all the time
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1256921228099#c3927623477536098472'> October 30, 2009 9:47 AM
good blog
greeting of spain
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1257389381692#c2178869910719496985'> November 4, 2009 6:49 PM
Hi Saif,
I'm about to tag you with an Honest Scrap award. See my blog for details!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1257415008434#c2487390631697486083'> November 5, 2009 1:56 AM
Beautiful! I would love to visit some day. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1257909466847#c3255460847537863480'> November 10, 2009 7:17 PM
What absolutely beautiful gardens. You must have been quite inspired! Thank you for sharing the photos and your comments. :-)
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1262532995228#c1801138279143141181'> January 3, 2010 7:36 AM
it is absolutely impressive!!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1262533091072#c7686456634247668015'> January 3, 2010 7:38 AM
it is absolutely impressive!
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1269099730561#c5195669511427232535'> March 20, 2010 8:42 AM
Saif Malik u r doing a marvellous job. Keep it up and visit again and again with me and my husband (NOOSHEEN MEHDI).
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1274855004001#c2843682835239393949'> May 25, 2010 11:23 PM
Wonderful' Wish I can also go there to see that personally. Anyway, thanks for sharing this post.
-pia-
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1282816268200#c901101223579011404'> August 26, 2010 2:51 AM
It's a very good article...Flowers are the most beautiful gift for your loved one's ...
http://hortist.blogspot.com/2009/10/keukenhof-worlds-largest-flower-garden.html?showComment=1282903655172#c1654763017248759582'> August 27, 2010 3:07 AM
wooooow its very beautiful posting i really like it...Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world.