The earliest I can be in Amsterdam is May 11, 2018 and I will be going quite a bit out of my way to be there even then... just to see the tulips. The gardens close on May 13. I've been in Amsterdam twice before and missed the tulips both times. If the tulips are usually "too far gone" by then, I don't want to rearrange my trip to see them ... and then find them in bad shape or gone. I understand if the winter and spring are cold ... the tulips are usually late blooming which is what I need ... and if the winter and spring are warm ... the tulips are early blooming which would be bad for me. I have to book my flight within the next day or so ... and my decision on trying to see the tulips will determine my flight. The only reliable answer to my question would involve a crystal ball ... but I hope someone can tell me the "odds" of seeing a lot of blooming tulips on May 11.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33840 posts
Don't have a clue of odds, but it is likely that some and/or many flowers will be in bloom right up to the date of closing.
Nobody knows how the seasons will play out this year - global warming and all that - but Keukenhof have been doing this a long time and work hard at having a good show all the season. The displays are planted by the individual growers and they have signs showing who they are and they wouldn't want to show poor displays.
The tulips and other bulbs are planted on top of each other so early bulbs come up and are supplemented and then replaced by normal flowering ones, and then the deepest, latest flowering ones come up at the end.
It may not be the absolute glory of three weeks previous but it should be well worth going. But you say that it is well out of your way to go. Are we talking an hour out of your way or whole countries away?
During the season Keukenhof publish bulletins about how the show is going. Maybe check those and modify your plans accordingly?
There certainly won't be any tulips showing in the growing fields by then - they will have been harvested and turned over some time earlier.
Posted by
California
494 posts
We went to Keukenhof on May 9, 2017. There were lots of tulips as well as other flowers. If you are interested, I wrote a trip report with a lot of pictures here.
Posted by
California
494 posts
However, the tulip fields outside of the park were barren by then.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you all for your responses. I will be on my way to Warsaw and there are better and less costly time wise ways for me to get there than through Amsterdam. Unfortunately when I book my flights, etc. I won't be flexible. But if there is a "good" chance I can still see at least a fair amount of the tulip beauty ... then it might be worth the risk in time and trouble. I did view the garden photos taken on May 9, 2017 from Just Travel and if the tulips were as beautiful for me as those photos reveal ... than I would be more than happy and feel fortunate. Yes ... it wouldn't be at the height of the beauty ... but it would still be great!! Again ... thank you.