Keukenhof: Largest Garden in the World
In Lisse, Netherlands, there are grand flower gardens called Keukenhof, located in the Duin en Bollenstreek (Dune and Bulb) region of Holland. Known as the Garden of Europe, it stretches 32 hectares of land, filled with beautiful flowers as far as the eye can see.
Keukenhof was a part of the Teylingen Castle estate, built in 1641, where the grounds were used mostly for hunting. Countess Jacoba van Beiren added a small herb garden near the kitchen in the 15th century, giving the nickname Keunkenhof, meaning kitchen courtyard. She would gather fruits and vegetables from the Keukenduin (kitchen dunes) for use in the kitchen. She took care of the garden until she passed away at the age of 35, passing down her estate to wealthy merchants for many years.
Fast-forward to the 19th century, Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt inherited the land and wanted to build a more structured garden around the castle. They contacted Architects Zocher, who designed Vondelpark in Amsterdam, to design their garden. The landscape that was completed in 1857 still forms the foundation of the park today.
In 1949, a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs. Keukenhof became known as the spring park, opening its gate to the public in 1950 and becoming an instant success, with 236,000 visitors during its first year.
Today, about 800,000 visitors come to visit the Keukenhof garden. It gets hectic at times but once you pass the main entrance and the crowds, it becomes a beautiful sight to behold. The park is well-organized due to the accessible walking paths, as well as the hosting of five indoor pavilions that include exhibits, restaurants, and other facilities.
Every year, the park has exhibitors participating in the decoration of the garden Keukenhof, who were part of the Dutch manufacturers. Each manufacturer is granted a defined area decoration that is arranged with different flowers. As a result, if you ever visit Keukenhof, you will find that every corner you go is unique.
The park mainly includes the tradition of Tulip cultivation in the Netherlands. Tulips have become a symbol of the Netherlands because of Carolus Clusius, a botanist from the city of Leiden, One of the foremost plant collectors and enthusiastic scientists in Europe, he brought bulbs back from Vienne to his hometown of Leiden in 1593, spreading the tulip bulbs across Holland that then became popular in the 17th century.
The best time to visit the park is from the middle of March till the end of May when the flowers are in full bloom. There are collections of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies, and many other flowers. Between those weeks runs the largest flower show - lasting only 10 days - displaying beautiful, flourishing flowers. Every fall, gardeners’ plant new bulbs with a completely new design, taking about 3 months to grow since it is a special-fast growing variety.
If you enjoy the botanical garden or flowers in general, Keunkenhof is the best place to visit. It will surely blow your mind as to how far the flower gardens spread, leaving in its wake a wide variety of fantastical flowers.
