Taking Time to Smell the Keukenhof Tulips

Travelers lucky enough to visit the Netherlands this spring can tiptoe through 6 million tulips at Keukenhof garden in Lisse, a picturesque little town in the heart of Dutch bulb country. The dazzling 70-acre display not far from Amsterdam is open to the public onlyeight weeks each spring.

The 42nd annual exhibit is set for March 28 to May 20, preceded by the annual Flower Parade procession of flower-decorated floats March 27. The theme will be special gardens--home gardens, shade gardens and gardens planned by color.

The fact is, if you could visit every park and public garden in Amsterdam, you would see only about one-tenth of the bulbs that are in bloom at Keukenhof.

Keukenhof, which translates roughly to kitchen and yard or garden , is a private park graced with ancient, moss-covered shade trees, masses of colorful flowering shrubs and a one-of-a-kind spring garden. Swans circle around sparkling cascades on a large lagoon.

In addition to the millions of fragrant blooms, inducement enough for a visit, Keukenhof contains more than 60,000 square feet of flower-filled, glass-covered greenhouses, special pavilions for orchid, amaryllis and lily exhibits, restaurants and picnic facilities, shops selling mail-order bulbs and a children’s playground with a small farm.

Wooden bridges above ponds and streams provide sites for flower viewing or photography. Dozens of sculptures, including a handsome equestrian statue, are artfully situated among the trees and flowers.

But whichever way you look across the grassy knolls, breathtaking clusters of tulips in startling sizes and brilliant colors scream for attention.

Some tulips are grouped in sharply contrasting colors such as burgundy and gold, others in related colors such as orange, scarlet and red. Clumps of huge tulips, about 12 inches across when open, defy belief.

Tulips aren’t the only flowers in abundance at Keukenhof. Thousands of tall, thick blue hyacinths form rows along paths that twist and turn like swirling blue ribbons over the green hillsides. Generous quantities of bright gold-and-yellow narcissus and daffodils resemble huge floral patchwork quilts.

Keukenhof’s many indoor greenhouses focus on lavish displays of specific flowers like giant double freesias grouped in color-coordinated arrangements such as pale peach and salmon, their sweet aroma intoxicating. Pink clouds seem to hang in the sky in one display where masses of pink lilium pour out of baskets suspended from the ceiling.

Several pavilions are named in honor of the Netherlands’ royal family. The Queen Juliana Pavillion highlights floral decoration, and the Queen Beatrix Pavillion features orchids, lilies and amaryllis.

At the largest glass-covered greenhouse--a popular refuge in case of showers--visitors can stroll through rainbow rows of 500 varieties of tulips, many rare or in new colors. Several deep burgundy specimens are so intense that they appear black.

Florists in the greenhouses and pavilions almost continually demonstrate the art of flower arranging.

Almost 100 Dutch flower growers sponsor and plant the garden annually. And there is a list of growers waiting to participate.

Each company landscapes a specific area, and the growers--identified by rustic wooden signs--take tremendous pride in their displays, sending their best bulbs to be planted. Workers constantly remove faded flowers and refurbish the plots to keep them attractive, often presenting cut flowers to visitors.

Bridal parties sometimes come to the park to pose for wedding portraits amid the flowers or to stand on wide, flat steppingstones in the lagoon. Photographers must compete with the ever-present children skipping from stone to stone over the water.

Apart from these precarious steppingstones, Keukenhof is an easy place for physically challenged or elderly people to visit. The wide, paved garden paths have lots of benches. There are no steep hills, and the few easy steps can be avoided by circular routes.

Many families pack picnic lunches to enjoy on terraces that are well stocked with tables and chairs. There are also snack bars and cafeterias, several banks, a post office and photo and souvenir shops. The shops sell typical products of the Netherlands, such as delftware and wooden shoes.

The best souvenir may be offered by a dozen growers who sell a large variety of mail-order bulbs in little chalets. Every shop has a magnificent display of new hues of tulips and amaryllis, as well as old favorites. Few travelers can resist ordering a few samples from this floral fantasy to be enjoyed later back home.