Kuekenhof Gardens. Photo by Aswathy N on Unsplash

Top 10 Interesting Facts About Keukenhof

The word ‘Keukenhof’ can be translated to ‘kitchen garden’ in Dutch, in reference to the herbs that used to be gathered in the area for the castle kitchen. Keukenhof Gardens is located in Lisse, the Netherlands, and is synonymous with tulips It is also known as the ‘Garden of Europe’

1. Keukenhof Gardens Was Established By A Consortium Of Stakeholders In Flower Industry

Keukenhof was originally a place for hunting in the 1400s. This is when fruits and vegetables grew in the location where the gardens stand. Keukenhof first opened its doors to the public in 1949. It was an initiative of the Mayor of Lisse. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a success with 263,000 visitors gracing the occasion.

It was established by a consortium of bulb growers and flower exporters to showcase their products and support the export industry.  It operates under a charitable foundation of Count Carel De Gaaf van Lynden.

2. Was The Brainchild Of Baron And Baroness Van Pallandt

In 1857, Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt, at the time owners of the estate, tasked landscape architect Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, both also designers of Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, to restructure the park and grounds around the castle. Those parks, designed in an English style, remain the foundations for the gardens.

The idea was to present a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids – and help the Dutch export industry (the Netherlands is the world’s largest exporter of flowers).

3.It Is The Largest Flower Garden On Earth

Flower Images. Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash

Keukenhof is considered the largest flower garden on Earth, with approximately seven million bulbs with a total of 800 varieties of tulips, covering an area of 32 hectares (79 acres). Besides the spacious 32 hectares (79 acres) of flowers, you can enjoy the spectacular flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens, unique artwork, and wonderful events.

It provides a marketing opportunity for the Dutch flower companies. Keukenhof is also the largest showcase platform for the Dutch flower industry. Every year 7 million flower bulbs that bloom in the spring are planted by one hundred different companies. These companies showcase their best products via Keukenhof. It is like a living catalog. 

 It features a diverse range of different flowers and garden styles so that every visitor can find their very own brand of fascination. Within Keukenhof Garden, one can also enjoy its winding paths and unexpected revealing points, which are akin to those typical of English landscapes and formal gardens.

Guests will smell the breeze coming from the water garden, filled with its hedges, blooming perennials, and bulbous plants, just as they are marveling in the enclosed landscapes wherein old bulbs are spread. To make things even better, visitors are even afforded the opportunity to embark upon a 45-minute boat ride around the garden

4.Only Opens Eight Weeks Each Year

Interestingly, Keukenhof is only open eight weeks each year from mid-March to mid-May, with the flower-viewing peak in mid-April. And, in that time, welcomes around one million visitors.

The exhibitors who participate in the decoration during this time are part of Dutch manufacturers that are currently around 90. Every manufacturer is granted a defined area for decoration.

These areas have different flower arrangements ensuring no corner that is similar to another. Keukenhof is one of the major tourist attractions in the Netherlands and annually attracts about 800 000 visitors from around the world.

5.It Hosts The World’s Largest Lily Show

Picture of Lily Flower. Photo by Darius Cotoi on Unsplash

Apart from being known for tulips, it is also home to the world’s largest lily show. During the last 10 days of the opening season. Keukenhof has competitions for the best flowers grown by exhibitors, with awards like tulip awards and rose awards.

Keukenhof is home to more than 800 varieties of tulip, the Genus of perennial flowers which also serves as the national symbol of the Netherlands. The gardens also showcase the blooming produce of 100 Royal Suppliers, who supply for exhibit their very best ranges of spring flowering bulbs for display in the park.

 In addition to its dazzling assortment of flowering bulbs, every year Keukenhof Gardens also hosts contemporary sculptures and other works produced by local artists during the open season.

6.Each Year The Occasion is Distinguished By Its Own Theme

Each year, Keukenhof chooses a different theme for the occasion. For example, in 2014, the theme was Holland, represented by a 13 by 23 meters mosaic made of 60,000 tulips and muscaris. Vincent van Gogh was theme for 2015. The Van Gogh mosaic measures 13 by 23 metres and has been created from almost 60,000 tulips and Muscari bulbs.

The special theme for the Keukenhof in 2016 was ‘The Golden Age’. This is the 17th century period in which the Netherlands went through a flourishing era in the fields of trade, arts, and sciences. It was also the period in which the tulip trade thrived, making it a perfect fit for these special gardens. Look out for special flower presentations inspired by the Golden Age.

The renowned Tulip gardens are the most famous in Keukenhof, but you’ll also find gardens in other themes with different flowers. Each year there are seven inspirational gardens with a new theme. And there’s a Japanese garden, an English landscape garden, a historic garden, and a natural garden.

7. The Flowers Take Three Months To Grow

Each autumn, 40 gardeners plant the 7 million bulbs, donated to the park by over 100 growers. They work all year round. The planting starts in early October and is usually completed in early December.

The flowerbeds are synchronized to the different bulb flowerings to ensure blooms throughout the 8-weeks the park will be open. To ensure continuous bloom, three bulbs are planted in each location. The shallowest bulb will bloom first for three weeks, followed by the subsequent layers.

8 There Is Also A Flower Competition

Keukenhof has competitions for the best flowers grown by exhibitors, with awards like tulip awards and rose awards.

9. The Pavilions Are Named After The Dutch Royal Family

The different pavilions where the flower shows in Keukenhof are hosted are all named after the Dutch Royal Family.

10. It Also Has A Variety Of Other Gardens

In addition to the tulip gardens, Keukenhof features a variety of other gardens. The English landscape garden features winding paths and surprise see-through vistas. The walled area of the historical features archival varieties.

In the Nature Garden shrubs and perennials are combined with bulb plants. The Japanese Country Garden is a non-traditional garden in a natural environment. Four pavilions house rotating displays and flower exhibits.