Keukendorf

I have not been to these gardens but I understand that they are mainly spring bulbs such as tulips etc. That being so, I would think that the main show for this year is now (end of May) over.

What you're looking for is Keukenhof, and I'm not just being pedantic - you will find more information if you spell it correctly.

Here's the website: http://www.keukenhof.nl/en/

As you can see, it's closed for this year, and next year will be open March 24 through May 16.

From Amsterdam, you take a train to Schiphol Airport or to Leiden, then a bus to Keukenhof; it's easy and well labeled, and you will have no problem following the crowds. You can get combo tickets that include transit and admission. If you go yourself, you can spend as long or short a time there as you want. If you like flowers, it's huge, so you could spend much of a day. There will also be escorted tour buses, if you prefer that.

I don't remember the cost of transit, but it's cheap. Here's the ticket prices (note that while you can get a skimpy map for free, the official guide costs extra - a bit sleazy, in my view): http://www.keukenhof.nl/en/plan-your-visit/tickets/

I myself found it very crowded inside the greenhouses (too much to enjoy), and found the endless parade of flowers numbing rather than beautiful (although clear effort was made to distinguish each display and make it look different). Each display was lovely, but it was far too much of a good thing, and with the crowds, I did not enjoy the experience.

This is a rare negative review - most people seem to love it. I did, however, enjoy the town of Leiden. I only saw it for part of a day while going to Keukenhof, and wish I had spent more time in the town and less at the gardens.

The key, like so many other popular destinations, is to arrive early, before the tour buses arrive. Guided tours are probably available, but not necessary. It's more like a flower zoo than a botanical garden. Some of the exhibits are indoors (these tend to be the most impressive tulips), but most are outside. Early in the day, the greenhouses were very managable, but come noontide, one could barely move...and I visited before the selfie revolution, so it's probably even worse these days.

That being said, don't hesitate to visit if you'received in the Netherlands at the right time of year.

Thank you so much for the info. I had forgotten to mention that we would be traveling during the late Mar/April timeframe.

The advice to go early is smart and I totally agree. What time does Keukenhof open?

Opening times: http://www.keukenhof.nl/en/plan-your-visit/practical-information/#Opening%20times

I agree with Tom - if you do want to go, move heaven and earth to get there as early as possible.

It's not essential to get to the gardens early, arriving in the late afternoon works as well. The gardens are open until 7:30pm (last admission 6pm). Arrive at 3pm and all the bus groups are on their way out, by 4pm the place is quite empty.