amsterdam IV - keukenhof, again (23.03.15)

i probably broke your computer screen from too many flowers.

:P

this looks exquisite.

dainty

this is too expensive,
so i bought a smaller one :P

flower as big as mama's face

colour explosion

hello pretty tulips

my sweetheart :)
i think this flower really suits me.
it looks thorny and dangerous,
but it's actually really pretty and soft to touch.
and the colourrrr

i start taking photos of these and mama said,
'those are daisies. we have plenty of them in Malaysia'
-.-" but i love daisies

stained glasses!

i can only imagine if they are in full bloom..
the beauty must be breathtaking
you must not want to leave
which is why my mum said,
'it's probably better we came now.. when there's not too many flowers
as it is, i already don't want to leave'
:3

sleepy head
devoid of caffeine

these ducks are really not afraid of people at all

the famous bulb statue :)
every year the flowers here are so pretty,
because the statue is so famous and people flock here

mama and her funny poses

the beatrix pavilion, where they host orchid show

i'm not that in love with orchids to be honest,
so there's not much pictures here

the arrangements is amazing

mama is happy among purple flowers and an orchid in hand

flower bulbs

sitting on a kangaroo chair

the gardeners are not exactly young
so mama dreams of working here someday -.-"

the semper augustus tulip once cost as much as an amsterdam canal house
this period in time is called tulpomania

they used to put tulips inside the pottery
this should be delft blue pottery, i think
btw, delft blue is a beauty

actually.. this is not grass.
tulips, when they aren't budding and blooming, look like grass
so that's why you can't step on the grass,
you might be stepping on tulips still sleeping underground..

this is one large music box

flower fields outside keukenhof

the modern windmills, taken from a moving bus, thus the quality

i actually learned quite a lot about flowers before visiting keukenhof.

how there are actually early and late-blooming tulips,

thus why we still couldn't see many tulips outside:

most of them are late-bloomers (like me haha).

and they also use something called lasagna technique,

in which they layer early and late bloomers in the same soil.

and also how the blooming of flowers depends heavily on the weather.

in late march, you usually get to see daffodils and crocuses.

in april, you'll finally see tulips and hyacinths.

but these are all dependent on the weather:

a cold and long winter may push flowers' blooming date until late april or may,

and a 'warm' winter might cause the flowers to bloom even in february.

it all depends on nature :)

this is fascinating for someone coming from a warm and wet country all year round, like me.

so my suggestion, after doing hours and hours of online research?

the safest bet is to visit in 2nd to 3rd week of april,

that's when most flowers are in bloom.

i expected keukenhof to be a bit bare, coming in late march,

but i don't know when or will we be returning to holland again,

so keukenhof is a must visit anyhow.

even in march where it is still cold and bare,

the pavilions hold delightful exhibitions.

so i'd say, it's still worth your time and money :)