Saturday, April 12, 2014

Colorful 'Rivers' of Flowers

       I just got back from Holland. My dream has come true: I've visited Keukenhof, the famous park of tulips. I read a lot about this amazing park that is only open from mid-March to mid-May, ie the time of tulip flowering. Certainly Keukenhof amazed me as other visitors.
Over 70,000 bulbs of tulips, daffodils, hyacintn, muscari were planted this year.
I was delighted with the beautiful combinations of flowers and rhododendrons, flowers and blooming trees. Tulips, daffodils, anemnony, hyacinth, muscari seemed the colorful rivers. Look at this great combination of pale pink tulips and blue anemone:



Or this combination of tulips they remind me multicolored stripes waving in the wind:


I saw a brook running into a lake. Near a brook a red leaved Japanese maple grew up surrounded by tulips. This picture was very calm:




Along the alley a flower bed of tulips and daffodils was planted. Look at this great variety of tulips:




Farther a bed with hyacinths was planted. The combination of light and dark purple hyacinths struck me. Light yellow-lemon hyacinths completed the picture. But there is little focus. Dutch gardeners put a piece of metal wire in the center of hyacinth that it could not be bent over!



I went to the pavilion and saw a vase with muscari. Amazingly beautiful variety of muscari! Near another pavilion tulips with fimbriate petals grew together with muscari:




But the 'river' of muscari and yellow and red tulips was an amazing spectacle:


Park designers show interesting ideas combining different bulbs. Yellow and white tulips, dark purple hyacinths, white daffodils, anemones and lupins grow together in mixborders:



More photos near the pond:



I have lots of impressions and will tell you in my next posts about rhododendrons, hydrangeas, lilacs, roses, orchids, Sakura in Keukenhof.


Did you love some of these combinations? Would you like to implement these ideas in your own garden? Thank you!


Here is my video of Keukenhof:



44 comments:

  1. I really like the dark purple hyacinth. I bet the scent was gorgeous.

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  2. I really love tulips and hyacinth, love the color too. What a shame, we can't plant them here. Thanks for sharing me the beauty.

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  3. Wow! I just can't wait for my visit to Keukenhof after two weeks!!!! Thank you for this lovely posting, Nadezda!

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    1. Welcome, Satu. Hope you will have nice holidays as I had.

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  4. Wow !!!! I am very delighted with floral compositions and color combinations.
    Really wonderful views of flowers !
    Have a happy weekend :)

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  5. You are already back again Nadezda. I should have liked to meet you but I had a very busy week here taking care of my very old parents and my gardenclub tour on Wednesday. I am so glad you enjoyed the Keukenhof, I can imagine you had a nice short holidays for we have extra-ordinary beautiful spring weather and nature is very early this year. Have been to the Keukenhof a long time ago, I think I have to go there once again.

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    1. The weather surprised! The forecast said all days rain and cloudy and I've got my rain coat and umbrella, but... surprise!! There was one rainy evening in Amsterdam. That day in Keukenhof was not sunny and a bit cloudy. To take photos it was good. I liked all days spent there: the trip to Rotterdam, the visit to Delft and ceramic factory, to Keukenhof and Madurodam. The Rijsmuseum is full of treasures of Art. Many ideas I've seen in Keukenhof I will try to make in my garden/ Thank you Janneke!

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  6. Welcome Nadezda!
    I've been three times in the Keukenhof is a unique place.
    I am charmed by him. Unfortunately, this year I have a lot of responsibilities and I could not go.
    Greetings.

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    1. You're lucky Lucia having seen such wonderful garden three times!
      Thank you!

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  7. Just gorgeous Nadezda! You're so lucky to have seen this. I hope to visit Keukenhof once. Love that 'river' of flowers among the trees. So many different combinations, each and everyone of them so pretty. I couldn't choose a favorite. Although I must say those mixed borders are gorgeous, something you could easily apply in your own garden if the soil is ok and it's not too shady. You must be so full of ideas now you've been inspired by Keukenhof Nadezda.
    Marian

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    1. Oh, yes. I thought as well, to make this mixed bed is easy, only I have to have every plant in enough quantity. And the color must be in combination each other.
      Thank you Marian!

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  8. Wooooow!!!! What a beautiful place you've been to! Holland is one of the countries I want to visit, so I'm happy to see its sceneries with your beautiful photos.
    I've never seen such flood of tulips. It's overwelming! Especially amazed to see the combination of Japanese maple and tulips, which is nice:) I definetly want to go there someday. Your posts always inspires me:) Thank you!

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    1. I love Japanese maples, Keity. Always take photos when I see them. There are some places with Japanese maples in Keukenhof, wonderful.
      Thank you!

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  9. I would love to have that river of Muscari with yellow and red tulips, it makes me practically swoon. We have never been to Holland, but some day ...

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    1. Some day...I'm sure you like this park Jason!

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  10. Wow!!Your pictures are breathtaking Nadezda!!Such beautiful Spring flowers!I love tulips and the Muscari flowers!How lucky you are visiting Holland!
    Maybe in August i'll visit my daughter,and see all this beauty!!Happy Palm Sunday!
    Dimi...

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    1. I wish you visit your dear daughter in Holland and you both will see this beauty, Dimi!

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  11. I would be in heaven here!! I did get to see acres of tulip displays at the Dallas Arboretum a few weeks ago, but this is even more spectacular. I'm going to put this park on my "bucket list." Interesting that they put small metal stakes in the hyacinths; no wonder they look perfect. I love all the tulips, but the river of muscari is especially beautiful.

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    1. It was my dream, my "bucket list" too, Rose. Glad I could go and see these flowers. Hope you come there one day as well. Thank you!

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  12. Isn't it the most amazing sight? And the garden is huge, acres and acres. Rivers and rivers of color! Jim and I were at Keukenhof in May, 2008 and I will never forget it. I'm so glad you got to go there.

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    1. I won't forget too. Laurrie. Although the weather was not sunny I have wonderful memories, photos and videos.
      Thank you!

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  13. What a dream come true to visit Keukenhoff! It must feel like walking through a fairytale. I would love to have the space and resources to do rivers of bulbs like that in my garden. However, it doesn't seem very practical since I have to look at the same small spot all year round, and don't have the funds to buy plants just to dig them up and compost them once they're done blooming! Thanks for sharing your amazing trip with us.

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    1. Rebecca, I think Keukenhof designers show the visitor how we could combine different colors and flowers. You're right, it's not practical because it's show. I have no much space in my garden too, but I liked the idea to plant all together -- tulips, daffodils, anemones, lupines in one spot ( pictures 12, 13). I will try to do that in fall planting bulbs.
      Thank you!

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  14. These photos are really great Nadezda and this garden looks spectacular. How lucky you were to visit. Tulips are one of my favourite flowers along with hyacinths and many others. Best Wishes.

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  15. What a treat to visit these famous bulb gardens. You must have enjoyed every moment. I really liked the white muscari in a pot and the daffodils with tulips in shades of purple and mauve are gorgeous. How lovely to walk amongst those beautiful hyacinths. The perfume must have been sensational! Thanks for sharing these wonderful images.

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    1. Oh, fragrance was unbelievable, Betty! Yes, I do enjoyed walking by the alleys, near a pond, watching flowers and rhododendrons.
      Thank you!

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  16. Oh my ! How beautiful. I would have loved to seen all of them in bloom. I imagine the fragrance of the hyacinths were amazing. Thank you for sharing your trip.

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  17. Gracias, gracias y gracias por compartirlas... Es un sueño que tengo que cumplir aun;) Ver todo esa maravilla de flores!!!
    Que preciosidad Nadezda es de una belleza increible.
    Buenas noches.
    Un beso

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    1. Estoy contenta que te gustaron mis fotos, Laura. Yo tambien tuve mucho placer de pasear en este parque.
      Que tengas buen dia!

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  18. What amazing rivers of colour! You must have had a wonderful trip; a perfect way to celebrate spring. I particularly like that flow of blue hyacinths winding through the daffodils and tulips.

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    1. Glad you liked my photos, Juliet. Thank you!

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  19. They really are as Rivers... and so beautiful! So happy for you that your dream came true. I can only imagine the amazing scent.

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  20. What an amazing place. I enjoyed seeing so many wonderful bulbs grown en masse. The lovely pale blue Muscari looks like Valerie Finnis. I never thought of growing it in a pot but I will next year; it looks wonderful.
    Thank you for sharing your lovely trip with us.

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    1. I was amused to see these muscari in a pot as well, Chloris. Thank you for stopping by!

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  21. So glad you enjoyed your trip to Holland Nadezda. Beautiful photos. I bet the fragrances were wonderful, especially the Hyacinths my favourites.
    Patricia x

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    1. You're right, Patricia. It was wonderful fragrance. Thank you!

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