Flower river. The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
If I ask you to name a country which you think is the motherland of tulips, most likely, you will say: the Netherlands. This European country has actively maintained this association for many hundreds of years already. However, the first tulips were bred not in the Netherlands, but in Central Asia (today, it is Turkey and neighboring countries). The first large consignment of tulips was delivered to Amsterdam, the capital of the Dutch Republic, in 1562, and this modest flowers conquest of the world began.
At first, the price of tulip bulbs was so high that merchants weighed them on precise apothecary scales and sold them by the piece. Collectors were ready to pay a huge sum for rare sorts. It’s known that one gentleman gave 4,600 guilders and a carriage with two horses for one bulb of Semper Augustus. In those times, you could buy a house for such money. Thank God, today, we buy tulip bulbs for our country house’s garden much more cheaply, although the label on their pack still reads: Made in the Netherlands.
A tulip ‘Semper Augustus’
Tulips started to gain popularity in Europe. This flower wasn’t afraid of cold weather, required no protection in winter, and thrived in any season. Some new sorts started to obtain names of famous nobles. Cardinal Richelieu; Voltaire, the great French philosopher; Franz II, the first Emperor of Austria; and Louis XVIII, King of France, were fans of tulips. However the center of tulip mania was the Dutch Republic (the Netherlands, today) where the first tulip exchange was opened. For twelve years (1625-1637), nearly everyone was involved in the development of new varieties of tulips, creating and losing fortunes.
Finally, this bubble burst. The market was saturated, and the tulip rush stopped as quickly as it started. Many families lost everything, because they invested their money in flowers whose price fell drastically. The European flower madness that was called tulip mania ended, but citizens of the Netherlands preserved their love for this flower. I don’t know why Irina, my wife, also adores tulips. She was born very far from the Netherlands, but she has wished to visit the Mecca of these flowers, the Keukenhof Tulip Garden, Holland, the Netherlands, for a long time already.
Flower river. The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
If you read French novels, I am sure you know the most famous history about tulips. It sends us to the 17th century when citizens of Haarlem, the city near Amsterdam, wanted to get a unique tulip of black color. In 1672, the municipality of Haarlem promised 10,000 guilders to whoever would cultivate a completely black tulip. There were no official records, but Alexandre Dumas was so impressed by this history that he wrote a whole novel with a tragic ending.
In reality, the first black tulip saw the light in February of 1986, when Henk van Dam, the head of the West Friesland Floral Institute, the Netherlands, reported it at a conference. Six horticultural companies worked for 25 years to perfect the variety, a cross between two dark ones: Queen of the Night and Wiener Weld. While the flower seemed black, its color was deep violet. So, about 300 years had passed between the first mention of a black tulip and its actual birth.
Of course, we searched for such a flower at the new varieties exhibition in the Keukenhof Tulip Garden to make sure it exists, but we were unsuccessful. By the way, we haven’t seen black tulip fields while traveling around the neighbourhood of Lisse, Holland, but only red, yellow, white etc.
A tulip ‘African King’ – The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
A tulip ‘Paul Scherer’ – The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
Today, hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are grown on the dried bottom of Haarlem’s Lake, but you can find whole flower carpets around Lisse and Keukenhof only two months of the year. In 2018, the Keukenhof Tulip Garden was open from March 22 till May 13. Crocuses started to bloom in March, then daffodils and hyacinths joined them, and at last, tulips appeared in all their beauty. The Dutch say more than seven million tulips bloom around Lisse every year, and about half a million people from all over the word visit the area in two months to enjoy this magic. I guess that is true, because on April 18 at 9:30, we found the enormous parking of Keukenhof full of cars, buses, and bikes.
It’s reasonable to buy tickets online to avoid long lines at the entrance. Keukenhof has everything you need for comfortable visiting: benches to relax, free WCs, several cafes, and places where you can buy water, strawberries, or ice cream.
We prepared for our trip to the Netherlands in advance. Irina, my wife, wanted to stay within walking distance from Keukenhof and visit it every day to enjoy tulips. But in November, we failed to find places in appropriate hotels of Lisse for April. We found an apartment in Katwijk aan Zee, a small town on the coast of the North Sea, 15 km from Keukenhof.
It turned out that one visit to Keukenhof was more than enough to understand that enormous crowds don’t allow you to enjoy beautiful flower compositions. To find unique angles for your photo blog? Oh, don’t make me laugh. Photographing is maximally hampered by legions of tourists. If it were raining? Maybe it would be better, but I am not sure. Most visitors are from tourist groups, and are delivered there by numerous buses. If they must visit the garden according to their schedule, they will do it in any weather.
All in all, it made no sense to stay in Lisse or nearby for the sake of Keukenhof.
Tulips in Keukenhof
A tulip ‘Menton Unique’
A tulip ‘Semper Augustus’
A tulip ‘Marrero’
A tulip ‘Barracuda’
If you decide to stay in Katwijk, and you have a car in your disposal, what benefits will you derive?
1. It is only 15 km to Keukenhof.
2. A long bicycle/pedestrian promenade (about 60 km) along the sea goes through coastal dunes towards Noordwijk, a very nice neighboring town. You can also stroll along a huge sandy beach. Both towns are small and very clean, and the area around them is perfect for fans of hiking or jogging. Although one classic said that summer on the North Sea is a caricature of southern winter, the air is beautiful here. After two hours of strolling in dunes, we sat in a cafe in Noordwijk and drank coffee, or tea, or the stronger drinks which are so needed by residents of northern countries. We preferred cognac. Then we got back to Katwijk.
A promenade between Katwijk aan See end Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
A beach
One more of Irina’s dreams came true: she visited the Keukenhof Tulip Garden and bought approximately half of a suitcase of new tulip bulbs for our garden. However, I don’t think we’ll go back there. We try to escape places where you feel like you are at a final match of NHL. Too many people.
Tulips from our garden
Tulip ‘Red Parrot’
Our Semper Augustus.
If you are interested not only in tulips, I’d like to give you a tip. One week a year, Chateau de Beloeil, Belgium, is decorated by 6,000 blooming amaryllis. In 2018 it was from Saturday 28 April to Sunday 6 May.
An amaryllis
A tulip ‘Sanne’ – The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
A tulip Dreamship
A tulip ‘Dreamship’
A tulip ‘Affaire’
Flower river. The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Holland, the Netherlands.
Keukenhof by a dron (2 min.)
More about the Netherlands:
Alkmaar Cheese Market or Donut Hole for Inexperienced Tourists
Amsterdam: Free Love, Narcotics, and No One Tulip
May 22, 2018 at 10:32 am
Magnificent. Have you ever seen the tulips at Giverny? They are amazing too! You must take your wife during tulip season. They have some pretty impressive specimens too. Really lovely post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:02 am
Many thanks for the advice. Next time in France, we will try to follow it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:04 am
I have many Giverny posts on my blog if you are interested. I have never been to the Netherlands to see the Tulips but it is certainly on the list to see one day! My husband’s family is from there so I would love to take my son some day. How were the crowds? Bad?
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:11 am
Very bad. I’ve written about it in the post.
I will read your posts. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:46 am
Darn. I hate crowds more and more every day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 10:41 am
We visited a few years ago and loved the gardens.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 10:57 am
Now, I understand you. It was our first time in Keukenhof.
Many thanks.
LikeLike
May 22, 2018 at 10:44 am
We were on one of those big tour busses, and you are correct about the crowds. But you managed to make some beautiful photos anyway. Before going, I imagined large beds of tulips. I had no idea how beautiful the setting and compositions were. So we loved it despite the crowd and only wish we could have had more time there. I would love to do it the way you did it, staying close by with a car.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:00 am
It turned out that the most interesting place in Keukenhof was an exhibition of new varieties of tulips. I recommend. Most of our photographs were taken there.
Thanks a lot.
LikeLike
May 22, 2018 at 10:54 am
incredibly gorgeous! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 10:56 am
It is. Thank you.
LikeLike
May 22, 2018 at 10:56 am
Beautiful Victor, judging by your photos there are no people anywhere.
We were just in Singapore where they had a tulip exhibition sponsored by KLM. It was packed and I felt like I’d rather die than be there. Beautiful, but I’d rather sit at my computer looking at posts like yours 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 11:09 am
Most of our photographs were taken in an exhibition of new varieties of tulips. Not so much people. And it was much more comfortable.
Thank you, Frank.
LikeLike
May 22, 2018 at 11:43 am
Spectacular flowers! I’ve always wanted to see those tulips. Your garden tulips are gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Thank you, Pam.
I wish your dream come true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 12:06 pm
Stunning photography, as always, combined with your thoughtful and detailed reportage. Thank you for including the notes and photographs of the dunes and beach, for additional perspective.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Thank you for reading it, Brad.
I was stunned by such an enormous sand beach right in the center of Europe, more over on the North Sea.
LikeLike
May 22, 2018 at 12:57 pm
It’s a miracle that you got so many beautiful photos with all those people. I could see them in the distance in some of the photos. Horrible crowds. But the flowers are exquisite! Wonderful post, Victor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:05 pm
Thanks a lot, Anneli.
We can do nothing with it. It is a very popular place, and it’s open only two month in a year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:09 pm
But you did manage to get good photos, and I bet it’s a trip you’ll never forget.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:24 pm
Most pictures were taken by Irina. She fought valiantly with the crowd.
But you are right, this our trip was unusual and memorable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:53 pm
LOL. Good for Irina!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 22, 2018 at 1:55 pm
She thanks you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 23, 2018 at 2:00 am
I once lived in the town of Spalding in UK which was famous for its tulips.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 23, 2018 at 10:00 am
It’s great. Andrew. I also heard about two famous exhibition in UK: Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court Palace Show. It must be interesting.
LikeLike
May 23, 2018 at 10:10 am
Sadly they don’t grow tulips in Spalding any more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 24, 2018 at 11:41 am
So much beauty in one post Victor. Love the drone video but your photos outshine those images. The river of flowers as the lead is a tremendous image. I’m very interested in that gorgeous bike path as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 24, 2018 at 1:56 pm
The same words Irina, my wife, said when she saw this post the first time: How much beauty in such a small post. She is the author of most of the pictures, and she thanks you, Sue.
Strolling along this promenade, we mentioned you a couple of times: Sue and her husband would be happy here. The Netherlands is paradise for cyclists.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 24, 2018 at 6:13 pm
It made me smile envisioning you thinking of us upon seeing the cycling opportunity. The Netherlands is definitely on our list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 28, 2018 at 5:18 pm
Love! Love! Love, your photography Victor! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 28, 2018 at 10:43 pm
Many, many, many thanks, Victoria. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 29, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Also went to visit Keukenhof around may and it was too crowded I couldn’t really enjoy it so we ended up just hunting tulip fields around the area
LikeLike
May 29, 2018 at 11:23 pm
Probably, this is only drawback of Keukenhof.
Thank you, Aca.
LikeLike
June 6, 2018 at 6:50 am
Gorgeous
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 6, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Undoubtedly. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 17, 2018 at 8:08 am
Oh what a beautiful tour of the Keukenh of Tulip Garden! Thank you so much for including the historical information and the video, Victor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 17, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Thank you for reading, Amy.
LikeLike
July 18, 2018 at 6:19 pm
great shots on those flowers!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
July 18, 2018 at 11:11 pm
Many thanks.
LikeLike
August 13, 2018 at 12:12 am
WOW!! I love your article. I will also visit there one day. I wish I could buy some bulbs and bring them back to Australia but we have strict quarantine laws. I look forward to going there one day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
August 13, 2018 at 4:14 am
Thank you, Anita.
You can buy bulbs even in Amsterdam. I hope you will bring them to Australia without any problems.
LikeLike
August 13, 2018 at 9:54 am
Pretty sure we cant! Its ok. We have plenty of bulbs here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 26, 2019 at 1:37 am
Because of my Tulipa topi, I came to this wonderful blog. I appreciate this page very much.
Interesting, inspiring, and great photos with drone video too.
Someday I will plant Tulips on my flower farm:) —sigh—
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 26, 2019 at 8:26 am
Many thanks. I wish you good luck in your tulip growing.
LikeLike