From 1593, the Netherlands has been in extravagant bloom and the Dutch have been in thrall to flowers, inventing a whole horticultural industry and turning their lowland fields into a blanket of blooms.
Each year, from March to May, the Dutch countryside becomes a sea of Tulips, daffodils, narcissi, hyacinths, Irises ,tulips including gladioli, dahlias, fragrant lilies and all manner of other flowers. Mere photos can only give a hint of the pure explosion of colour and scent all around. Amsterdam’s bulb belt stretches for thirty miles from Haarlem, just outside the capital, to Leiden. Known as Bloembollenstreek – bloem is bloom or blossom, bollen is bulbs, and streek is region – it’s a low land area close to the North Sea coast with a sandy soil and mild wet climate that makes it ideal for bulb cultivation.
The best way to view the sights is to rent a bike and cycle, and it also has the traditional Dutch windmills to add attraction along the way.
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