All things tulips

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This is getting me excited for my week in Amsterdam and Haarlem in April. I am really looking forward to visit Keukenhof!

I got my Tulips in Holland newsletter, week 2, in this morning's e-mail. I was going to start a thread this afternoon, but Ruth has beat me to it! I'll grab an bit from that e-mail and post it here:

"Current status of the flowers

At this moment the daffodils are in bloom and the hyacinths are starting to bloom as well in the flower fields. The flower region around Lisse is full of colourful fields. There are still a lot of green patches, where the tulips will bloom later in the season. The flower field photos in this newsletter were taken last weekend.

For next week I expect lots of daffodils and hyacinths in the fields. For tulips in the fields, it will be too early, at Keukenhof you will find tulips indoors at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion.

Weather in the upcoming week
It will be another dry and sunny week with temperatures around 14 C (57 F) during the day and just above freezing at night. The sun sets around 7pm. Daylight saving time (in Dutch zomertijd or Summer time) will start on Sunday 27th March at 2 o'clock am. Make sure your watch and phone are in the correct time zone, you don't want to miss your tour (we jump forward one hour from 2am to 3am). Then the sun sets around 8pm."

There are links in the text to a route through the fields, map included. Also information about tulip bulb scams, the Bloemencorso, floats viewing in Haarlem, and a whole bunch of other things from their main website.

It looks like Keukenhof will be posting videos again this year, as there are new ones dated March 21st and 22nd. For those who might be interested in something in particular in the pavilions, there are videos about those special events as well.

Donna

Thanks for a great resource!

Thanks, this is great information! We're visiting during the week of 4/13 - 16. How far in advance do we need to book ticket? I was hoping to wait until the week before, in case the weather changes. Is that too late?

Well, that week is the week before Easter so may be busier with people traveling. I'd probably keep looking at the ticket site and when they start to fill grab what you want.

@JShott
I'm going the week after and I've already purchased my ticket. You can change date and time slot until the day before through the link they send within your email confirmation.

I honestly can’t remember if I even bought tickets ahead. What I do remember is trying to avoid weekends, and most importantly, being there when the gate opens. That first wonderful, uncrowded hour is blissful.

Thanks, very helpful again!!

Keukenhof opened yesterday, March 24, with sunny skies and temps near 60'F. Unusually warm!

But colder weather is forecast for next week...

We went to Keukenhof yesterday. It was jammed with people and with totally spectacular flowers. Even with the crowds, it's worth seeing how the Dutch revere and display their bulbs - somehow each bed is at peak and many, many more yet to bloom. One suspects the closure of the last two years got many people out to see the garden this year. We caught a glorious sunny day, 70 degrees when it's snowing back home in Idaho. The crowd was just part of the story and even at maximum capacity, with mid-day time slots all sold out, the numerous pathways allowed good movement. Just don't think you'll get many photos without other people included, usually taking photos themselves!
We've also been biking through flower fields out of Leiden and Haarlem, mostly daffodils and hyacinths with the beginnings of the tulips. It's a very curious mix of intense coloured fields and industrial ag. Like everything in the Netherlands, there is a lot of old and new packed into relatively small spaces.