Keukenhof

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Keukenhof
Keukenhof
Small shelter and a well in Keukenhof
Small shelter and a well in Keukenhof

Keukenhof (pronounced [ˈkøːkənˌhɔf], in Dutch: Kitchen garden), also known as the Garden of Europe is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, there are approximately 7,000,000 (seven million) flower bulbs planted annually at the park. [1]

Keukenhof is located in South Holland between the towns of Hillegom and Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. It is accessible by bus from the stations of Haarlem or Leiden. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek).

The flower garden was the idea in 1949 of the then-mayor of Lisse, a small town south of Amsterdam. The idea was to have a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids which will help the Netherlands as it is the world's largest exporter of flowers. Keukenhof has been the world's largest flower garden for over fifty years.

Keukenhof is open annually from the last week of March to mid-May. The best time to view the tulips is around mid-April, depending on the weather. In 2008 the Keukenhof will be open from March 20 to May 18.

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