Seven million blooming bulbs covering acres and acres of one of the world’s largest gardens were creating a rousing riot of sublime color!
Earth laughs in flowers. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Seconds after entering Holland’s famous Keukenhof Gardens, I was swept up in the melee. Granted, I didn’t put up much of a fight, not with all the flowers shouting, “Let yourself go! You’re bound to bloom.”
And so I let loose, tiptoeing through the tulips;
Eat your heart out, Tiny Tim.
and weaving my way through the hyacinths.
There were hyacinths as far as the eye could see. The smell was intoxicating!
The daffodils were delightful, too, heralding spring with a playful fervor.
Such power in numbers.
The daisies, on the other hand, were too busy to give me the time of day, preoccupied as they were with harboring one rogue tulip.
The lone ranger.
Time was definitely the enemy the day of our visit. We (me, Jimmy, and travel buddies Joan and Jerry)
I must admit; this picture was not taken at Keukenhof Gardens. Otherwise it's a great selfie!
had four hours in which to cover 79 acres of formal gardens and pavilions overflowing with nothing but fabulous flowers (and thousands of other not-so-fabulous visitors intent on seeing the fireworks from mid-March to mid-May).
Fortunately, the flowers managed to tame the masses, offering colorful islands of exquisite tranquility in the midst of all the madness.
Fortunately, the flowers managed to tame the masses, offering colorful islands of exquisite tranquility in the midst of all the madness.
Pretty in pink!
Countess Jacqueline of Bavaria would undoubtedly be proud of her humble 15th century legacy. Where she once gathered fruits and vegetables for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle (Keukenhof means “kitchen garden”) Holland’s magnificent Keukenhof Gardens now stands.
In 1857 landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher fashioned an English landscape style garden for the current castle residents, the Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt. By 1949 the small town of Lisse, where these original hunting grounds are now located, decided Keukenhof would be the perfect place for growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe to showcase their hybrids from mid-March to mid-May – and to help the Dutch export industry. Must have done the trick – the Netherlands is the world’s largest exporter of flowers!
In 1857 landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher fashioned an English landscape style garden for the current castle residents, the Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt. By 1949 the small town of Lisse, where these original hunting grounds are now located, decided Keukenhof would be the perfect place for growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe to showcase their hybrids from mid-March to mid-May – and to help the Dutch export industry. Must have done the trick – the Netherlands is the world’s largest exporter of flowers!
The backbreaking work behind all those magnificent flowers. Thanks, guys!
I came away from my stroll through Keukenhof Gardens humbled at how adept the flowers were at making the most of the moment, particularly given those moments often added up to just days; and yes, I followed their lead and let myself go. I was blooming mad with joy throughout my visit.
Thanks for capturing this joyful moment, Joan.
And sooooo thankful for this colorful palette of unparalleled springtime beauty and the promise of hope reiterated 7 million times over.
 |  |
 |  |
RSS Feed