2024 is the 75th anniversary of the spectacular Keukenhof park, famed for its spring tulip displays.
The Keukenhof estate dates back to the 15th century, when Countess Jacoba van Beieren [Jacqueline of Bavaria] used 'Keukenduyn' [kitchen dunes] as hunting grounds for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to cover an area of over 200 hectares (494 acres). In 1857, the original Keukenhof park was redesigned and laid out in the English landscape style. Inspirational gardens in other styles were added later, making up the flower-filled park that we see today.
Spring tulip displays at Keukenhof first appeared in 1949, created by a group of Dutch flower bulb growers and exporters who wanted a showcase for the Dutch floriculture sector. A year later, the park opened to visitors and proved to be a great success from the start, with 236,000 visitors in the first year. Since then, the garden has become a global phenomenon with visitors from around the world enjoying these spectacular annual displays.
Every year, 100 Dutch flower bulb companies and growers display their very best ranges of spring flowering bulbs, with a garden designer creating a special design for each of these companies. In addition, 600 growers provide flowers and plants for the shows and exhibitions which fill the floral pavilions.
In the space of eight weeks, Keukenhof shows what the Dutch floricultural sector has to offer. The park’s focus is on the 7 million spring-flowering bulbs, which allow the 100 participating companies to show their living catalogues to the world. All of these are complemented by ornamental garden planting, including beautiful flowering cherry trees. Opening times vary slightly from year to year, with this year’s being from 21st March to 12th May.
If you missed out on visiting Keukenhof this year, then get next year's opening dates in the diary. The park will be open from 20th March – 11th May 2025.
