Flower bulb cultivation is an economic activity in the provinces of North Holland, South Holland and Flevoland. The colourful flower fields that have come to symbolise Holland can be seen in these areas around April. [1]
Some of the largest bulb fields can be found in the Noordoostpolder. The Tulipsfestival (Dutch: Het Tulpenfestival) is an annual event, that celebrates the flowering of the colorful tulips.
Towns and villages in the various parts of the Bulb Region:
South Holland is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about 1,373/km2 (3,560/sq mi), making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely populated areas. Situated on the North Sea in the west of the Netherlands, South Holland covers an area of 3,307 km2 (1,277 sq mi), of which 607 km2 (234 sq mi) is water. It borders North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. The provincial capital is the Dutch seat of government The Hague, while its largest city is Rotterdam. The Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta drains through South Holland into the North Sea. Europe's busiest seaport, the Port of Rotterdam, is located in South Holland.
Haarlem is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe; it is also part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area, being located about 15 km to the west of the core city of Amsterdam. Haarlem had a population of 161,265 in 2019.
Hillegom is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Hillegom is part of an area called the Duin- en Bollenstreek. As such, a large portion of the local economy was traditionally geared to the cultivation of bulb flowers.
Katwijk, also spelled Katwyk, is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland, which is situated in the mid-western part of the Netherlands.
Lisse is a town and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Western Netherlands. The municipality, which lies within the Duin- en Bollenstreek, covers an area of 16.05 km2 (6.20 sq mi) of which 0.36 km2 (0.14 sq mi) is water. Its population was 22,800 in 2019. Located within the municipal boundary is also the community De Engel.
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 74.94 km2 (28.93 sq mi) of which 16.57 km2 (6.40 sq mi) is water and had a population of 42,859 in 2019.
Noordwijkerhout is a town and former municipality in the western part of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The town is currently part of the municipality of Noordwijk and lies in the bulb-growing region of the Netherlands, which is famed for its tulips.
Sassenheim is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.
Voorhout is a village and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covered an area of 12.59 km2 of which 0.33 km2 is covered by water, and had a population of 14,792 in 2004. Together with Sassenheim and Warmond, it became part of the Teylingen municipality on January 1, 2006. Voorhout is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region".
Warmond is a village and former municipality in the Western Netherlands, north of Leiden in the province of South Holland. The municipality covered an area of 14.42 km² of which 4.42 km² is water; had a population of 4,977 in 2004. Together with Sassenheim and Voorhout, it became part of the Teylingen municipality on 1 January 2006. Warmond, which is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region", is notable for being very affluent.
Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, in the Netherlands. According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, and it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.
Kaag is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Kaag en Braassem, and lies about 8 kilometres northeast of Leiden.
A buitenplaats was a summer residence for rich townspeople in the Netherlands. During the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, many traders and city administrators in Dutch towns became very wealthy. Many of them bought country estates, at first mainly to collect rents, however soon mansions started to be built there, which were used only during the summer.
Kennemerland is a coastal region in the northwestern Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It includes the sand dunes north of the North Sea Canal, as well as the dunes of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park.
Zuid-Kennemerland National Park is a conservation area on the west coast of the province of North Holland. It was established in 1995.
The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in the Western Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland nearby the city of Leiden, South Holland, it is bordered by The Hague to the west and Haarlem to the north. The combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive to tourists.
Tulips (Tulipa) are a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes. The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different coloured blotch at the base of the tepals, internally. Because of a degree of variability within the populations, and a long history of cultivation, classification has been complex and controversial. The tulip is a member of the lily family, Liliaceae, along with 14 other genera, where it is most closely related to Amana, Erythronium and Gagea in the tribe Lilieae.
The A44 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands connecting the A4 with Wassenaar. The route continues as main road N44 towards The Hague, providing an alternative link with Amsterdam for the A4 motorway. The A44 also serves Leiden and the Bollenstreek. The length of the A44 is 21 kilometres (13 mi), the N44 adds another 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) making the total route 28 kilometres (17 mi) long.
National Tulip Day is an annual event in January that preludes the tulip season in the Netherlands. The event has been held on the Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam since 2012. During this day a special garden of 200,000 tulips covers the square. In the morning people can view the tulips from a gangway, and in the afternoon they can pick tulips for free. The tulips are from North Holland.
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is one of the flower parades in the Netherlands and one of the largest editions of the world. The event takes place in the end of April, The route starts on Saturday in Noordwijk and ends in the city of Haarlem the day after.