Lisse, Netherlands

 

Passing through the suburb of Heemstede, from the N208 I can see the elegant country estate of Huis Te Manpad. Built as a country house from 1634-40, the estate was expanded and renovated many times as it kept changing hands just as many times until 1767 when it was purchased by the van Lennep family who owned it for the next 200 years. In 1953 it was bought for the last time by Jan Visser who started a major renovation and restoration and owned it for the next 32 years until he passed away. The estate went into the care of a foundation established by Jan Visser.

On the opposite side is a large field of neatly lined rows of plants in its early stages of growth. The leaves are present but flowering hasn’t occurred yet. 

Continuing towards Lisse, I took a right turn onto Veenenburgerlaan, a minor road that is lined with tulip fields all the way to the famous Keukenhof Garden, a 76 acres (32ha) park which each year exhibits its spring-flowering bulbs.

Beginning as a kitchen garden for a 15th century countess, Keukenhof’s gardens were redesigned in 1857. The landscape architects, a father and son team were influenced by the English landscape, thereby forming the basis of the gardens. Within its parkland, Keukenhof has 9mi (14km) of walking paths that meander around ponds, a windmill, greenhouses and water features. In the centre is the Willem-Alexander Pavilion, an indoor display of hundreds of tulips of all forms and sizes. From the whitest of colours to near black, mauve, crimson, double-flowered red with white edges, multi-coloured ruffled petals, fringed edges in bursting orange and of course the classic tulip shape.

Outside the paths were lined with flower beds. A cluster of yellow tulips surrounded a lone tree, whilst delft blue hyacinths hugged the sides of the stairs near the fountain. The meadow near the windmill was dotted with benches out of recycled wood to rest upon whilst mesmerizingly watching the blades turn. Behind the windmill was a narrow canal and the vast fields of bulbs beyond. 

Cherry blossom trees were in full bloom in tight clusters of white, whilst the yellow daffodils cheerily lined the path and hugged the side of the Beatrix pavilion. Large logs of wood were placed along the 150 years old Beach Tree Lane. Layered flower beds of hyacinths at the front and tulips or daffodils at the back were planted along the path.

A series of large circular stepping stones were placed on the lake for anyone brave enough to walk it at the same time as being distracted with the beautiful surroundings and camera in hand. What could go wrong, I was thinking tongue-in-cheek?

Tall deciduous trees have yet to grow their leaves allowing light to filter in on the blooming flowers. In summer they provide much needed shade. Various sculptures are scattered throughout the gardens providing other points of interest.

Tucked away in one of the border flower beds was the intriguing tessellated bell-shaped flower known as Fritillaria meleagris. Belonging to the Lily family the flower is less than an inch (2cm) in diameter, with a chequered pattern in purple but can appear in pure white as was evident in this flower bed as the colour white dotted amongst the purple.

Filled to the brim with floral scents I took one more panoramic look at the garden’s colourful displays and exited Keukenhof. 

Just before I move on let me share some staggering stats on this magnificent garden. In 2019 the garden was visited by 1.5 million people; each autumn 7 million bulbs are manually planted by a team of 40 gardeners; the bulbs are donated by over 100 growers; it takes two months to complete planting; to ensure continuous blooming over the eight weeks that Keukenhof Garden is open three bulbs are planted in layers in the same location with the shallowest bulb blooming first. Each year a new design is created and close working relationships with the growers who donate the bulbs ensures that the spring display will be at its optimum.

Lisse is an 800-year old town that was once filled with forests, gardens like Keukenhof and large family estates. With the exception of Keukenhof all the rest of the estates were removed and forests taken down to make way for the cultivation of bulb flowers. Increase in employment brought prosperity to the area. The bulb industry boomed in the 20th century which resulted “in the establishment of auction and trading houses, large-scale cultivators and cooperatives”.

I finished the day off with dinner. Starting with a thick split-pea soup called Snert, followed by Zuurkoolstamppot, a sauerkraut and potato puree topped with crispy bacon and ended with Stroopwafels, a “wafer waffle made from two thin layers of baked dough joined together by a caramel filling”.