If you’re an avid lover of flowers, you’ve probably heard of the magical Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, Netherlands, often referred to as the Garden of Europe. This 32-hectare garden has often been called the most beautiful spring garden in the world. Workers plant 7 million bulbs of different species every single year. In 2020, however, Keukenhof had no visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gardens reopened in March of 2021. The tourist-free photos are absolutely incredible.
The Beautiful Photos Of The Tourist-Free Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens is known for its tulips, but that’s not all that is planted there. You can also see other flowers such as hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations, and irises. A are planted in aesthetically pleasing patterns that usually have tourists wandering through the beautiful grounds for hours.
Since its establishment in 1950, 70 years ago, Keukenhof has been open to tourists for 8 weeks a year during spring, starting from Mid-March to mid-May. The passionate and caring gardeners begin planting over 7 million bulbs in October each year and finish in the first week of December. The flowers are in full bloom by March, gracing the grounds with their brilliant colors and delightful fragrances. On average, Keukenhof receives about 26,000 visitors a day.
In 2020, however, the garden was unable to open due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented tourism and travel of any kind.[1] Many countries, including the Netherlands, had strict bans on crowd gatherings to control the spread of the virus. As with many other locations that potentially attract large crowds of people, Keukenhof was unable to open for the 2020 season. The flowers, of course, did not care whether there was anyone there to see them or not. They still bloomed on schedule with the same color, beauty, and magic as always.
Incredible photos taken in the absence of visitors at the Keukenhof Gardens
As always, the garden is being tended by some of the most passionate gardeners across the country. Dutch photographer Albert Dros visited the garden alone to take photos of all the gorgeous flowers so people could enjoy the gardeners’ work virtually. Many of the flowers are planted together to form larger shapes of flowers such as the fan-favorite tulips and tea roses.
Writing on Bored Panda, Albert explained how enjoyable the entire experience had been for him [2]: “When I visited the park it looked at its best. Interestingly enough, we have experienced the sunniest April EVER in the Netherlands, making all the flowers pop very fast. Photographing in broad daylight with the strong sun was a challenge. But forget about the photography for a moment: walking around there all alone, with only the sounds of birds and the incredible smell of all these flowers, is an experience by itself. I sometimes just sat next to the flowers and the water, enjoying nature for 30 minutes long. It was just a magical experience. Having no people in the park allowed me to photograph paths and angles in a certain way that you normally don’t get to see because of the crowds.”
For the first time in a long time during bloom season, you could clearly see the zigzagging tarred roads surrounding the fields. Usually, tourists fill the paths making it harder to capture the full effect of the meticulous arrangments.
The Water
One of the most enchanting parts of the garden is the water. The tranquil lake reflects the flowers and trees, producing an incredibly relaxing effect of peace and calm. The flower garden is a stronghold of visual therapy. You can go here to relax and forget about the rest of the world, even if just for an afternoon.
Albert’s goal with his photos was to bring a bit of peace and joy to the world during such a challenging year. The only missing part is the wonderful fragrances to go along with them. Thanks to Albert, however, we will have these incredible photos of the tourist-free gardens for years to come. Scroll down to enjoy some of his beautiful images from the 2020 blooming season.
Keep Reading: Teen Gives Flowers To All Female Classmates So They ‘Feel Loved And Special’
Sources
- “KEUKENHOF CANNOT OPEN IN 2020.” Holland Explorer. March 10, 2021.
- “The Most Beautiful Flower Garden In The World Has No Visitors For The First Time In 71 Years And I Got To Capture It (31 Pics).” Bored Panda. Albert. 2020.
- Keukenhof
