Tulips at Keukenhof

May is rushing by and I haven’t yet shared with you some of the tulips from Keukenhof.  If you are like tulips at all, do visit; I’ve been wanting to visit for several years and I wasn’t disappointed.  We stayed in Amsterdam from 25th to 29th April.  I’d never visited Amsterdam before and found it a lovely city.  The museums were spectacular.  Everything was incredibly well organised, even though it was the peak week for visiting Keukenhof we walked straight into the park, just showing our pre-bought ticket at the entrance.

Although I’d read about the park I didn’t really know what to expect.  Would the tulips be planted in blocks of colour?  Would they be planted in garish colour combinations? Would there be so many people the experience wouldn’t be enjoyable?

There were a lot of people but the park is enormous so the crowds disappeared and it was easy to enjoy the tulips and other bulbs.

There were more visitors in the afternoon but even then you could still enjoy the tulip show.

Rain had been forecast for much of our time in Holland but we were lucky; it was a lovely day at Keukenhof, not hot, but warm making it a pleasure to walk around the entire park.

Some of the planting was a little strong for the soft grey northern light

 All tastes were catered for

Some displays were very vibrant

It would be unlikely for muscari and tulips to be flowering at the same time in my garden but an interesting way of intensifying the colours here.

In the floating market in Amsterdam you could buy all kinds of bulbs.  The tulips had all been chilled and treated and so needed immediate planting and would, I was told, flower about a month after planting.  I didn’t trust that they would return after being treated for so long so resisted buying any – SURPRISE.

I was tempted by the cut tulips though (if only I’d had a vase with me.

All the cut flowers were in wonderful condition

Depending on the variety prices were 50 stems for €8, €10, or €15.  Here in Italy you are lucky to find them for less than €2.50 a stem!

I wouldn’t bother growing tulips to cut if I could buy them at these prices

Who could resist 10 peonies for €8.50!!!!

But I digress.  Back to the park.

The blossom was delightful above this wonderful mix of Narcissus

The blossoming trees were a real bonus and greatly added to the experience.

Tulips growing in fields near to the park

The cold winter and late spring didn’t effect the quality of the planting in the park but there were fewer bulbs flowering in the fields than I had anticipated, but those that were flowering made quite a show!

Tulips growing in fields near to the park

I loved this mix of colours and forms

and in closeup

I’ve seen T. Flaming Spring Green in the catalogues before but planted in mass, this was my favourite tulips of the whole show and will hopefully be appearing in my garden next year.

My favourite tulip of the whole show was this

Tulip Flaming Spring Green

I had thought I preferred my tulips planted in drifts of one colour but I really loved the mixed plantings

It was useful to see which colour combinations created the different effects.  Under-planting with blue seemed popular for various  combinations.

I’d love to plant an area of the garden with this combination

Where there were mixed plantings the varieties were listed

Done of the Alliums were flowering, a little early for those in this cool spring.

In the 5 marques around the garden there were different displays of cut flowers with some interesting ideas of different ways of arranging the flowers.  The structure below was huge filled with lilies.

There were marques with various flowers highlighted

The new screensaver on my laptop and phone

I made photo notes of many of the tulips I liked.  I also noted the websites for many of the bulb suppliers but when I looked at their sites I have to say I thought Peter Nyssen (my supplier of choice) had a much easier to navigate website, the best selection and the best prices – I’ve already placed my order with him for autumn delivery.