Postcards from a McTraveler: Flowers in the Spring

Where: Lisse, Netherlands
When: May 7, 2017
With: Dave

So it is quite possible that I am the only person of my age group whose main priority for going to Amsterdam and the Netherlands was the tulips. In fact, the reason we never made it to Amsterdam when we lived in London, despite the proximity, was that we could never make a trip happen during peak bloom times.

So as a first anniversary trip, Dave decided to give me the best bunch of flowers a girl could hope for by taking me to the Netherlands to see the tulip gardens. And it absolutely did not disappoint.

The hardest part about planning a trip for the tulips is timing. Depending on how cold or warm the winter/spring are, it can change the peak bloom time by weeks. However, ever the planner, Dave ended taking me to just the right place: the Keukenhof Gardens. Sitting just outside of Amsterdam, this garden is one of the largest in Europe, earning it the incredibly clever nickname "The Garden of Europe".

The thing that's great about Keukenhof is that its 7 million tulip bulbs are planted gradually over a period of time to extend the blooming periods in the spring. Therefore, while some patches may be dying out, others are just coming in, so that everything is always beautiful over the two months the park is open.

When we first entered the gardens, we were shocked by the sheer number of people there were. This year, they estimate that the gardens saw 1.4 million visitors over its two months. It felt like a majority of them were there when we arrived, as the gardens were filled with selfie sticks and tourists trying to get the perfect flower shot. I tried to embrace the challenge of taking photos without people in them.

But obviously, we did the same. We are tourists, after all.

The garden is about 39 acres large. So we just started wandering. The gardens were set up to reflect different garden styles throughout. One section was setup to look like a famous work of modern art.

Another section was meant to look like an English garden, with rows of hedge arches.

To be honest though, I was already lost in the flowers. I couldn't get over how vibrant all the colors were or the wild shapes these tulips could take.

Dave's personal favorite was the oranges.

I thought this color combo was great.

These red-orange ones were so bright, they look like I've oversaturated the photo. But I haven't touched the color.

Reds looked even more over saturated, thanks to their white tips.

Another color combo I adored.

And I couldn't get over the shape of these yellows.

As we reached the eastern end of the park, some of the traditional tulip fields that are privately owned can be seen outside the park. While they were towards the end of their season, they were still absolutely stunning, with rows of yellows and whites in varying shades filling the fields.

What Dutch pastoral scene would be complete without a windmill?

We next wandered into the Japanese garden portion of the park. This one was more natural feeling, like we'd stumbled into the woods and nature had just done its thing.

My favorite part in this section was the blanket of pale lavender flowers with a surprising center of gold.

Another interestingly shaped tulip variety was this one with a feathery edge to the petal. So fun to photograph.

Another great color and height combo!

These fiery guys were on their last leg, as the resident gardener was starting to hack them away. But their over-bloomed flowers combined with these striking colors made this look like burning fire.

Another gorgeous variety.

And now a white and maroon to contrast the yellow and maroon.

I was obsessed with the shape and color of these as well.

These reflected beautifully in the pond.

As we reached the western part of the park, there were long walkways running north to south, creating patches of various varieties lining the way. We couldn't seem to stroll past any patch without taking photos, and neither could anyone else.