Keunkenhof receives about 800,000 visitors during this 7-week showcase with more than 7 million flowers in 1,000 variations planted and blooming. The bulbs are supplied by over 100 companies and planted by over 30 gardeners starting at the end of September. To be honest, although we aren’t tour-type people, the best and most economical way to get here is through a tour. Basically, they pick you up right outside of Central Station/Dam Square and drop you off at the gates of Keunkenhof. Your entrance is paid and you have 4.5 or 5.5 hours (depending on which tour you choose) to roam. We felt that the 4-hour tour was plenty, and that gave us 2.5 hours inside the actual park. It gave us time to enjoy the gardens and greenhouses and take plenty of pictures. We even had time to get something to eat. I will say that bringing food with you, like a couple of sandwiches, is advisable, as the selection here seemed very overpriced.

We went during the opening week at the end of March, and there was plenty to see, but still only about 20% of the grounds were in bloom, mostly hyacinths, daffodils, crocus, and narcissi. We are told that everything is in full bloom at the end of April.

Bicycles are available for rent, and wheelchairs can be reserved in advance. It’s nice that all of the grounds are handicap accessible via a large street-like path so no one has to miss out.

In addition to the grounds, there are floral exhibits on display inside each of the four pavilions. This is where they had all of the different tulips and many other flowers. I would be amazed if anyone other than a botanist would be able to name half of these flowers.

There are fountains, benches, lakes with swans, peacocks (see picture) – you name it – this park has it, with a completely serene feeling. Of course, there is a charge for the bathroom, 0.25€, like most of Europe, so be prepared. There are several little shops selling everything from tulip bulbs to postcards, videos of Holland and Keukenhof, and potted plants. It’s good for all ages. If you travel with a tour bus, the admission and parking is included. Otherwise, parking your car will cost an additional 4€. We booked through the Holland Tour Company, which has offices in Leidensplein Square. It was convenient, and we booked and paid for the tickets the day before.

Keukenhof is a 32-hectare garden set in the heart of the Netherland’s flower bulb growing area. The garden is open for about two months during spring and during this period leading Dutch horticulturist compete to produce arguably the best display of flower bulbs in the world. Each participating nursery is allocated a plot of land and must maintain it and change the plants to ensure a continuous display of flowers.

Circumstances forced us to go to Holland slightly earlier as would have been optimum to see the tulips but several early bloomers provided color and of course the daffodils were in full bloom.

Navigational aids in the park are very limited with maps only available close to the entrances and small number of sign boards scattered through the park. Buying a small pamphlet with a map is helpful to see it all.

The park is laid out in various styles in order to show of the versatility of the flowers. My favorite area is at the lake where artificial hills - everybody knows Holland is flat like a pancake - make for beautiful panoramas. The grass here is golf course smooth and so green it almost hurts the eyes. This area for me provides the perfect setting to offset the yellows of the daffodils and reds and purples of the tulips. Various other lilies, hyacinths and crocuses complement the better-known flowers.

Several pavilions are scattered throughout the park providing varying exhibitions and other service facilities. During out visit the exhibitions included chrysanthemums, which we always enjoy after seeing so many during eight years living in Japan, as well as tulips in the main pavilion. The latter was especially fortunate as the tulips blooming outside were still limited to the smaller early bloomers. New variants are introduced here annually and cause great excitement amongst experts but a novice would hardly have known if it wasn’t for the large signboards proclaiming the new variant, its name and creator.

The self-service restaurants provide uninspiring overpriced food, as one would expect from an establishment open only two months each year. I postponed the main lunch until we were back in Leiden but my child found the too sweet tomato soup absolutely divine. Ironically the stroopwafels - thin round waffles stuck together by a thick syrup - sold inside the park were significantly cheaper than those sold in the supermarket in Amsterdam which was fortunate as I picked up three packets to sustain me throughout the weekend.

Getting to Keukenhof from Amsterdam takes just more than an hour if you get the connections right. Take the train to Leiden and from there the bus to Keukenhof. Connexion sells combination tickets right outside Leiden station that includes the return bus fare and park entry at a slightly reduced price. Similar options are available via Harlem but I found the Leiden connection faster and less complicated.

Our entrance (there are at least three more entrances and parking lots marked with flowers), lead to a wide boulevard bordered by huge leafless trees. We were just a bit early in the Spring, this being the first week of April, however the bulbs were already splashing the grounds with their colors. Huge plots hovering around the trees sprouted sunny daffodils while others contrasted with pastel pink and honey Hyacinths. Numerous paths wound away from the walkway amid freeform ponds and amist a jumble of colorful bluebells and purple crocuses.

Our wide walkway to the left lead to a brimming green house filled with orchids, hanging from the roofs, planted in pots and sprounting from the indoor landscape. A nice self-serve cafe was next door and another cafe at the opposite end of the park overlooking the ponds and tulip shaped white sculptures.

Deeper into the park were several pavilions with flower displays, the vibrant gerber daisy exhibit and the tremendous showing of the new hybrid tulip bulbs. Small hutches scattered along the lanes provided a place for us to order some of the flowers on display as the almost 8,000,000 bulbs are planted by the Dutch tulip growers, each one has his own plots with ID sign. Past the flowers, almost to the bulb fields surrounding the 74 acres, we found the petting zoo complete with playground for the children and picnic area for the family. Finally we stumbled on the azalea garden (would you believe it - orange azealas) after getting lost in the hedge maze and hungrily snacked sitting on a lovely bench in the shadow of the towering windmill (open for climbing).

Admission is about $9 and the park is open late March to late May from 8am to 7:30pm. Buses arrived constantly, both tour and special buses from Leiden. Just take the train to Leiden and at the train station you ask for the bus to Keunkenhof. Also special tours can be arranged -- contact the tourist office.

The flower gardens have grown dramatically since they were first started in 1949 with a dozen local flower growers and exporters. This spring, more than 40 growers are participating, with more than seven million bulbs expected to bloom. The first year, less than 250,000 people visited Keukenhof; in recent years nearly 1,000,000 visit annually.

Peaceful paths let visitors meander through the park and visit the various gardens within the park. The Historical Garden is a formal garden with bulbs that are from ancient times. The Nature Garden has bulbs, tuberous plants and flowering shrubs, all of which are allowed to run wild. This year, the royal flowerbed offers a mixture of both classical and modern blooms. There are several dozen species of birds at Keukenhof, as well as ducks and swans.

Throughout the short season, Keukenhof offers various Spring Flower Parades, where all the typical flowers of spring are showcased. For younger visitors, there is an animal pasture, play equipment, and special workshops. Four self-service restaurants offer snacks as well as more substantial fare; there are restroom facilities (cost $.25 Euro), souvenir shops, and automated teller machines. This season, Keukenhof is open from March 21, 2002 to May 20, 2002, from 8:00 AM until 7:30 PM (last ticket sales at 6:00 PM). Cost for adults is 11 Euros, less than $10 US. There is so much to see that I’d recommend taking a day to see Keukenhof, but definitely you should plan on at least three hours.

See the following entry, "Getting to Keukenhof" for tried-and-tested transportation tips and more pictures of the fabulous flowers at Keukenhof.