In the early part of the 15th century, the Keukenhof Gardens housed the castle of a countess of Holland. She cultivated a part of the land to grow fresh vegetables and herbs for her kitchen. That is how Keukenhof, translated as kitchen gardens, got its official name. The gardens first opened its gates to the public in 1949, thanks to the efforts of the then mayor of Lisse, who along with ten other leading bulb growers, conceived the idea of a permanent annual flower exhibition. Currently more than 100 companies supply the flower bulbs, which are then planted by approximately 30 gardeners, starting from the end of September. The bulbs are planted in such a manner that when one group of bulbs has withered away, the others are in full bloom. This ensures a continuous flow of colors throughout the season.
The best time to visit these gardens are in the last week of April and the first week of May as that is when the most variety of bulbs are in bloom. It takes the better half of a day to go through the four main pavilions to do justice to the wide variety of flowers on offer. This year it is also possible to cycle within the park grounds. The park is open from 8am to 7.30pm every day, though the ticket offices close at 6pm. It is possible to purchase the tickets online. Places to eat and souvenir shops are within the garden grounds, though they are very expensive. For more practical information about the Keukenhof, visit the official Keukenhof website, www.keukenhof.nl.
