Nature’s cookie, the Keukenhof

Hello there! After a hiatus, I’m back with my blogs – quite a few pending from last year’s sojourns. 🙂

Entry to the garden

We had planned to visit The Netherlands during spring. Well, around this time, a visit to the Keukenhof or the tulip garden is a must. So, there we were the two of us, along with our friend, P from the US. Keukenhof garden, also known as the Garden of Europe, is apparently the world’s largest, as it’s home to over seven million tulip bulbs. Situated around an erstwhile castle, the collection is the cynosure of all eyes. One of the song sequences of a Hindi movie Silsila was largely shot there.

The tulips

Aren’t they eye-catching?

Here’s something interesting on the official website of the garden: “Have you ever seen more than 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, all in bloom? Come to Keukenhof, the world’s most beautiful spring garden. In addition to over 32 hectares of flowers, the spring garden offers 30 inspiring flower shows, 7 amazing inspirational gardens and 100 wonderful works of art. Keukenhof is world-famous, truly unique, and has for over 60 years provided a wonderful decor to the most beautiful photographs.”

A fountain in the garden

Ah, we spent a few hours in the garden enjoying the flower arrangement and the exhibitions. An air of gaiety prevailed. We just loved the nature and its brilliant hues that surrounded us. There were so many visitors, and all had one mission: to enjoy the beauty and take back memories in the form of pictures. The tulips were arranged so artistically and elegantly. We also saw ducks and swans in the ponds and lakes of the garden. The garden also showcased fountains, patches of lawns and trees of varied types.

A swan there!

One of our good friends, U who lives in a nearby town had packed some yummy food for us! We had a neat picnic in the garden and then we had cappuccino at an in-house restaurant. After spending about five hours in the garden, we decided to go cycling around the tulip fields. Yes, before that, we spent some time picking up souvenirs: mugs; little Holland clogs; coasters; magnetic photos; etc. As we exited the garden, the trio hired three bicycles (for a pricey deal!) and went cycling for a few kilometers. It was around 4:30 pm when we reached the fields.  We basked in the sun while the tulips and daffodils danced in a sprightly way under the spell of breeze. Wow, what a wonderful moment that was! I was reminded of William Wordsworth’s poem, The Daffodils.

The tulip field

This year the garden is open from March 21 to May 20; the ticket is priced at 15 euros per person. Why don’t you plan a visit? The tulips and their mystical aura shall be etched in your memory forever!

Here’s wishing you a colourful 2013…! 🙂