Tuin

In 1840, father and son landscape architects Jan David Zocher and Louis Paul Zocher redesigned the garden around the castle. Keukenhof was to remain an idyllic spot, meant for enjoyment. As a reaction to the austere gardens, full of symmetry and pruned plants of that time, the two architects opted for an English landscape style. It became a romantic garden with winding paths, ideal for a restful saunter. Later, the Zochers went on to design Amsterdam’s Vondelpark.

Did you know the estate has a few hidden secrets? Follies, as they are called, are a touch of architectural silliness and something deliberately designed to appear old and purposeless. There are two follies at Keukenhof Estate. Can you find them?

The so-called remains of the ruin on the side of the house and a duck cabin from 1850. The small chapel with decorated plastering of metal snails can still be seen. 

Keukenhof is located in the Bulb Region, where the flower bulb industry emerged in the 19^th  century. Invited by the mayor of Lisse, Willem Lambooij, ten flower bulb growers were given the opportunity to present their bulbs at a floral exhibition, leading to the creation of the Keukenhof Foundation in 1950. The part of the estate north of Stationsweg is set up especially for the exhibition. The minister of agriculture, fisheries and food supplies at that time, Sicco Mansholt, inaugurated the first edition of Keukenhof on 23 March 1950. It became an immediate success. A staggering 236,000 people descended on Keukenhof Estate, even though the event was initially intended merely as a business gathering. Since then, the beautifully coloured fields have become an annual feast for the senses.

Since the flower park's inception in 1950, the commercial interests of flower growers have played a crucial role. Tourist buses from Schiphol airport and Leiden drive straight to flourishing Keukenhof. The eruption of colour in the flower fields remains a great attraction for visitors from all over the world. Each year, bursting buds bring the estate to life and tourists flock to take pictures at the edge of one of the bulb fields. Although many Dutch people have never visited, when the flowers appear it seems like almost the entire world comes to Lisse to admire the magnificent snowdrops, hyacinths, tulips and other bulbous plants.

These days, Keukenhof Castle is a much sought-after wedding venue. It does not get more romantic than this. The castle is also a popular filming location for television programmes. Favourite Dutch shows such as Wie is de Mol and Bernhard, schavuit van oranje were filmed here. In summer, Castlefest turns the estate into a medieval village full of fantasy characters.

Studio Ewald Jamin from Leiden designed the surroundings of the LAM museum. They used the designs of the Zocher garden from 1840.  These elements are formed by 15.000 Euonymus Fortunei 'Emerald 'n Gold'.