Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 10, 1991 TAG: 9103100317
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: D-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JENNIFER MERIN/ ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LISSE, THE NETHERLANDS LENGTH: Medium
Motivated by gentle breezes, dozens of varieties of tulips, hyacinths and other exquisite blooms sway smoothly, forming a sea of color that stretches as far as the eye can see.
The centerpiece of Holland's flower fields is the Keukenhof Gardens, a 70-acre private park outside the charming town of Lisse, about 30 minutes outside Amsterdam.
Open to the public for six weeks each spring, Keukenhof boasts some six million bulbs, some bursting into rare or unusually colored tulips, hyacinths, dahlias, daffodils, crocuses, irises and gladioluses.
The 42nd annual exhibition takes place March 28-May 20 this year. It is preceded on March 27 by the Keukenhof's annual Flower Parade, a fantastic procession of flower-laden floats depicting elaborate home gardens, shade gardens and gardens planned by color.
Holland's top bulb growers support and maintain the Keukenhof and show their best blooms in the artfully arranged gardens that cover the park's well manicured grounds. Legions of gardeners constantly groom the lavish flower beds by cutting slightly fading blossoms and handing them to passersby.
The park's protective hothouses exhibit fragile or new breeds of flowers. These often show rare or unexpected colors or unusual size. There are bowers of sweet-scented freesias, salmon-colored lillium and tulips that are such an intense and deep purple they appear black at first glance.
Special pavilions, named for members of Holland's royal family, are set up for orchid, lily and amaryllis displays. In the pavilions and the hothouses florists demonstrate how to make beautiful flower arrangements.
In the midst of this splendid floral spectacle are practical touches, including several public picnic areas set on landscaped terraces, play areas for children, snack bars and souvenir shops.
The name Keukenhof, Dutch for "kitchen garden," suggests that such an abundance of blooms might not be extraordinary. In fact, flower-growing is a major industry in Holland; both blooms and bulbs are cheap. But when the first tulip was imported from Turkey and planted in Leiden in 1558, each rare bulb cost what was then the equivalent of $200.
Of course, no kitchen garden could boast Keukenhof's six million spring bulbs, but a row or two of tulips or grouping of hyacinths can enhance any patch of land. An ideal souvenir from the Keukenhof's selling stalls is a pre-packaged selection of bulbs cleared by the U.S. agriculture department for planting at home.
The Keukenhof is open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $9 for adults or $4.50 for children. For visitors in wheelchairs it is free; senior citizen tickets are discounted.
The park is a short drive from Lisse, which is between Haarlem and Leiden. Tours of the Keukenhof leave from Amsterdam's central bus station morning and afternoon. They take about 3 1/2 hours and cost about $30 for adults, $15 for children, including admission. An alternative is riding the train from Amsterdam to Haarlem or Leiden, then taking a short bus ride to Lisse's center and a shuttle bus to the Keukenhof. Combination rail-bus-admission tickets cost about $16.
KLM's air fares (seven- to 14-day stay with 30-day advance booking) from New York to Amsterdam are from $714 for travel between March 22 and May 31. KLM's Europe by Design Tours (from $869 for airfare, hotel for four nights in Amsterdam, continental breakfasts, ground transfers and a Holland Leisure Card covering admission to museums and other discounts) feature a Keukenhof add-on for $47.
For additional information contact the Netherlands Board of Tourism, 355 Lexington Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017. 1-212-370-7367.
by CNB