There are vast plantings of massed tulips, daffodils and other bulbs all around the Keukenhof gardens. It is supposed to be the largest bulb garden in the world. It manages to keep a reasonable display over several weeks and is a huge international tourist attraction. This means it is busy with coach loads of tourists and daytrippers when the bulbs are out. They also have some summer gardens intended to extend the tourist season. There are also sculptures, sundials, a medium sized lake and a few fountains.
All the main paths have formal boarders planted with large blocks of named variety tulips. Some of them are highly perfumed so that the garden is more than just visually appealing
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Not all the plantings are so formal. There are huge drifts and patches of bulbs everywhere. Some are geometrically set out and others form a random patchwork of bright saturated colours.
The newest varieties are displayed in a massive covered greenhouse exhibition space. Some of the flowers are exceptionally striking with strong colours and elegant lines of symmetry.
Pressure on the covered space is high so there are only a relatively small number of examples of each variety. Every merchant seems to have some new offerings on display. There were also indoor displays of lilacs and alstromeria and a modest orchid house in the grounds.
The covered space is vast - which is just as well if it rains when you are visiting as it did on us. It rains a lot here. When it rains the number of people in the greenhouse increases very suddenly as they all dash for shelter.
The cavernous extent of the huge covered greenhouse structure is revealed in this fish eye shot.
It is definitely a tourist trap and rather busy but still well worth a visit when the bulbs are in flower.
There are also collections of very ancient tulip varieties and reference species as well as modern cultivars. The old varieties get few people looking at them as they are hidden in one corner of the garden.
