Tags
garden visit, Holland, in a vase on Monday, Keukenhof, the Netherlands, tulip Angelique, tulip Antraciet, Tulip Ballerina, tulip Brown Sugar, tulip La Belle Epoque, tulip Spring green, tulips
I fear I am having my own tulip mania thanks to my trip to Keukenhof last week.
It was my first visit and I was completely blown away by the beauty of the bulbs. The weather was warm which let’s face it, always helps.
Against a blue sky, the bulbs were beneath trees in full blossom which created a perfect haze of pink or in this case white. The warm air carried the heady scent of hyacinths which were planted in thousands.
I think I was expecting regimented rows of bulbs in blocks or bands of colour.
This was the case in some places but elsewhere the bulbs were planted in glorious colour combinations mixed with muscari or hyacinth or anemones. 
Keukenhof plants about 7 million bulbs every year, admired by some 1.5million visitors, over the eight weeks that it is open. Mind blowing figures. Certainly it is a busy place to visit but its 32 hectare site copes well.
The bulbs are planted in nets as the soil is heavy clay and these are all lifted at the end of the show.
The lifted bulbs are sorted, the larger ones are kept for another year, the rest are disposed of. Mature trees cast shade once in leaf and the grass is reseeded each year for the show. The work that goes into this show is remarkable.
So this brings me to my vase. Tulips, a handful of tulips. They are pretty good in my garden this year.
I picked a selection to take to a friend. 
Tulip Spring Green, Tulip Angelique, Tulip Ballerina, Tulip a La Belle Epoque, Tulip Brown Sugar, Tulip Antraciet
Joining Cathy with in a Vase on Monday. Should you like to join in add a link back to cathy’s blog and join in this popular Monday meme.
Have a great week. D. 
Wow that is some display of tulips and your vase is lovely showing off your tulips!
Donna@GardensEyeView
Thank you Donna
Lovely bouquet, Dorris! I’m glad you gave us that tidbit about the tulip nets at Kuekenhof. I’ve wondered how they planted that many tulips!
Thanks Eliza, yes the nets are a neat idea really.
Thanks for sharing both your gorgeous tulips and giving us a peak at Keukenhof. What a great idea about the nets on heavy clay (but you’d need so many people to lift them!) Is ‘Brown Sugar’ the one at the top of your picture, to the left of ‘Spring Green’?
Thanks Cathy. The planting at Keukenhof is aided by special machines but a good idea nonetheless. Yes brown sugar is at the top of the picture and it has the added joy of a freesia like scent. Do you like it?
Tulips really are taking over now. That seems to be the theme today.
You are not wrong
Aren’t they pretty?! Your bouquet is lovely and has reminded me to look out for Spring Green in my rockery… a lot of my tulips have been nibbled by mice, so I am wondering whether to replant bulbs or stick to pots. Thanks for sharing your photos of Keukenhof. I would also have expected rows or blocks of colour, so the mixed planting is a pleasant surprise. 🙂
Oh no not mice eating your bulbs, that really is too bad. My soil is very heavy so I grow my tulips in a raised bed and the thing I am really pleased about is that these were last years bulbs which I grew in pots, lifted and stored. Keukenhof was far better than I hoped, a real feast for the eyes and noses.
A raised bed is a good idea as I may be able to make it mouse-proof then. Food for thought! 🙂
Another project Cathy 👍
You have really whetted my appetite! I’m going tomorrow, I can’t wait. Thank you.
🌷🌷🌷you will love it
Fascinating to hear about your trip to Keukenhof, what a treat. I love the selection of tulips you chose for your posy, it includes sone of my favourites. What a joy they are at this time of the year.
It was a real treat Chloris. I think this year the tulips are especially wonderful after such a long dark winter.
I have clearly not looked at my blog since just before you posted this, Dorris – must have been busy in the garden – so I am very late commenting which is not very hospitable for an IAVOM hostess! I am so pleased that you posted more pictures of your visit as it has given me a better idea of what this well-known attraction looks like. It certainly must be a wonderful experience. I was pleased to hear that they re-use some of the bulbs althoughb the whole operation of planting, lifting and sorting must be a mammoth one. Your tulip posy, although not involving as much work, is still very pretty and your friend will have been delighted 😊
Goodness Cathy I have no idea how you find the time anyway. I would say that Keukenhof is worth a visit especially if part of a trip to The Hague or Delft.