By Betsy Szymczak
The Keukenhof website calls it “the most beautiful spring garden in the world” and that is no exaggeration. A recent visit to Keukenhof was the highlight of my recent trip to Amsterdam. This 87-acre garden, open to the public from the end of March to mid-May, features over 7 million blooming spring bulbs with a total of 800 tulip varieties. In addition to exquisite outdoor gardens six separate pavilions feature flower shows. These shows include old and new varieties of anthurium, orchids, amaryllis, bulbs-in-pots, potted plants, alstroemeria, chrysanthemum, calla, carnation, lilies and summer flowers. As many as 500 growers show an amazing variety of plants and designers create breath-taking arrangements.
A section devoted to begonias featured new tuberous and rex begonias and new cultivars of Begonia x hiemalis. If judged by ABS standards each plant on display would have been awarded maximum points for quality and quantity of blooms. Several new rex varieties were stunning, B. ‘Nordic Frost’, B. ‘Forest Stream’ and B. ‘Lime Love’ were my favorites. If you think of or are working on a bucket-list, a visit to Keukenhof for bulbs and begonias will not disappoint. (All photos below by Betsy Szymczak)
The Keukenhof website calls it “the most beautiful spring garden in the world” and that is no exaggeration. A recent visit to Keukenhof was the highlight of my recent trip to Amsterdam. This 87-acre garden, open to the public from the end of March to mid-May, features over 7 million blooming spring bulbs with a total of 800 tulip varieties. In addition to exquisite outdoor gardens six separate pavilions feature flower shows. These shows include old and new varieties of anthurium, orchids, amaryllis, bulbs-in-pots, potted plants, alstroemeria, chrysanthemum, calla, carnation, lilies and summer flowers. As many as 500 growers show an amazing variety of plants and designers create breath-taking arrangements.
A section devoted to begonias featured new tuberous and rex begonias and new cultivars of Begonia x hiemalis. If judged by ABS standards each plant on display would have been awarded maximum points for quality and quantity of blooms. Several new rex varieties were stunning, B. ‘Nordic Frost’, B. ‘Forest Stream’ and B. ‘Lime Love’ were my favorites. If you think of or are working on a bucket-list, a visit to Keukenhof for bulbs and begonias will not disappoint. (All photos below by Betsy Szymczak)
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A drift of tulips
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Begonias
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Begonia 'Nordic Frost'
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Begonia 'Forest Stream'
Begonia x hiemalis
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Begonia 'Lime Love'
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