What are the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens?
The Keukenhof tulip gardens are the spring displays created throughout the park in Lisse. Rather than one single tulip field, Keukenhof is made up of many separate garden designs, flower beds, pavilions and themed areas.
Each autumn, the planting plan is created again so the following spring looks different. Bulbs are layered and combined by flowering time, height and colour so that different parts of the park develop throughout the season.
How many tulips are at Keukenhof?
Keukenhof plants around 7 million spring-flowering bulbs every year. More than 1,600 varieties of bulb flowers are used, of which roughly 800 are tulip varieties.
That does not mean every tulip flowers at the same time. Early, mid-season and late varieties are deliberately combined to extend the display across the opening period.
What else grows besides tulips?
Tulips are the best-known flowers at Keukenhof, but they are only part of the spring display. Visitors also see narcissi, hyacinths, crocuses, muscari and other bulb flowers, together with mature trees, shrubs and perennial planting.
Indoor flower shows add even more variety and can include cut flowers, lilies, orchids and other seasonal displays depending on the programme.
What do the gardens look like?
Keukenhof mixes formal flower beds with landscape-style paths, lawns, ponds, trees and more contemporary garden ideas. Some areas are densely planted with colour, while others use calmer combinations and wider views.
This variety is one reason the park takes several hours to explore: the experience changes from one area to the next rather than repeating the same type of tulip bed.
When is the best time to see the tulip gardens?
There is no single guaranteed 'best' day because flowering depends on the weather. Early in the season, crocuses, narcissi, hyacinths and early tulips are important; later in spring, more mid- and late-season tulips take over.
Use the Keukenhof Flower Report when choosing your date.
How much time should you allow?
Keukenhof visitors stay for around three hours on average, but flower lovers and photographers can easily spend four hours or longer. The park has around 15 km of walking paths, so it is useful to decide in advance which pavilions and garden areas matter most to you.
See How long do you need at Keukenhof? for suggested visit lengths.
Keukenhof gardens or the tulip fields?
The gardens and the surrounding commercial tulip fields are different experiences. Keukenhof is a designed visitor park, while the fields around Lisse are working agricultural land.
If time allows, combining both gives the strongest impression of the Dutch flower region.
Tulips & flower bulbs
See the flower and bulb categories that will be available to buy. Product links are currently being prepared and will be added soon.