Keukenhof Holland

Keukenhof Holland is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  There are beds of tulips and sweet smelling hyacinth everywhere you look mixed in with blossoming trees, statues, windmills, and water features.  We spent hours wandering through the gardens.  I really enjoyed taking photos as there was so much inspiration around every turn.  So much attention to detail is placed in these gardens as they are only open from mid-March to mid-May.  Two short months and they have millions of visitors during this time.  I can totally see why so many people flock here, you don't even have to really like flowers to find yourself amazed at the sheer beauty of it all. 

The theme at Keukenhof this year is "From Russia, With Love" so there were many little symbols of Russia scattered throughout the grounds.  I loved this display of the matryoshkas and was excited to have a picture taken with my girls standing next to the dolls. 

This is a lovely and sweet smelling field of hyacinths planted just across a small canal from the gardens.  One can actually take a tour of these fields by boat at a very reasonable price but confining two toddlers to a very small boat for 50 minutes did not appeal much to James and me.  So we admired the stunning view from across the way. 

There are so many of varieties and colors of tulips and hyacinths I could not pick a favorite.  I only wish the sun wouldn't have been quite so bright as I found many of my photos getting washed out.  I have not mastered my camera out of auto mode so I try not to mess with the settings when I only get one chance for a good photo.  I am glad that I have Photoshop to help me adjust the settings on some of the pictures when we returned home.

The cherry blossoms were the finishing touch around the grounds. 

Keukenhof is an amazing place with so many things to see.  The girls enjoyed the petting farm where they mingled with baby goats, calves, bunnies and even a turkey.  They also enjoyed the playground and we had a hard time convincing them that we had to leave.  After a long day we piled into our vehicle and left with the scent of the flowers still lingering and hopes of returning again next year.