INDEX travel
Believe it or not, spring will come – and there’s no better place than The Hague in which to appreciate it, says Emma Curry
loating through the bulb fi elds, bold bands of coloured fl owers like striped candies on either side of the boat, I fi nd it hard to imagine a more relaxing setting. The heady scent of pollen and the water’s gentle lapping slips me into an almost meditative state. A slim-necked stork pokes its head from among the tall grasses on the canal banks, wary of the strange, wooden creature approaching, and a plump couple of ducks hurry away between rows of golden tulips.
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I am at the Keukenhof bulb show in the Dutch capital, The Hague. The eight-week event, the only one in the world featuring solely spring bulbs, has run since 1949, when the mayor decided to showcase the ten billion bulbs grown in Holland annually. He approached Count van Linden, the owner of Keukenhof castle, and here, in the grounds, fi ve years after van Linden’s death, the show still takes place. After the boat trip, Elizabeth Hilagom, a guide, leads me through the gardens, stopping to explain the show’s history, point out unusual blooms and order disobedient visitors off the grass. She knows the story behind every fl ower, from the oldest (schrenkii) to the darkest (café noir). “The fi rst year, Keukenhof had 250,000 visitors, but now, in its 62nd year, 800,000 people come,” she exclaims. “We get between 3,000 and 30,000 visitors daily, and, on the day of the fl ower parade, up to 60,000.” Every autumn, seven million bulbs are hand-planted by 30
gardeners for the show. “We get our bulbs free from 90 growers,” Elizabeth explains, “and they get a sign in the gardens, advertising their business.” The bulbs are planted lasagne-making style, following designer, Jasper van de Zon’s plan. Flowers with different blooming times are arranged in layers, so that one variety is always fl owering. I meet Ton Aker, the park
manager, during the tour, who explains, “crocuses go on top, early tulips or hyacinths seven centimetres lower, then late tulips. It keeps the Keukenhof fi lled with colour throughout the season. Afterwards all the bulbs are removed and returned to the growers or destroyed.” When I ask, astonished, why they are not re-used, he says simply, “only 50 per cent would re-grow the following year; it wouldn’t be perfect.” Standing against a backdrop of impossibly bright red tulips, he almost glows as he explains, “The show is not only about beauty; we want to inspire, so we provide plenty of ideas and
tips for visitors’ own gardens.” I leave the Keukenhof
mid-afternoon and head back into the city with Elizabeth’s assurance that, “now you have seen bulbs, you have seen the real Holland”. I eat in a sun-drenched square outside Julianna’s café. Braver diners opt for veal croquettes eaten the traditional way – smashed onto rye bread and smeared with mustard. I enjoy a more conventional Dutch snack: a dark, grainy roll, overfl owing with fresh salad, cheese and wafer-thin ham, topped with pale slices of hard-boiled egg. Refuelled, I take a bike tour, during which I am uncertain who is in control: me or the bike. After a collision with a moped, from which the kindly driver untangles me with the slightly patronising platitude, “Dutch bikes are diffi cult”, I am fi nally on my way. Thankfully, the tour’s emphasis is more on taste than speed or distance. Following our leather-clad guide, Rene Bom, who describes himself as “The Hague’s night- mayor”, my fellow cyclists and
Must-sees
• The Keukenhof is situated in Lisse, on the outskirts of The Hague, and is open from 22 March to 20 May 2012, from 8am until 7.30pm. Tickets cost E14.50 for adults, E7 for children aged four to 11. Tickets for groups of more than 20 people are available for E12.50 per person. • The Binnenhof, The Hague’s Houses of Parliament, sit in a picturesque government complex, which members of the public are free to walk around. • The Plein, or square, is next to the Binnenhof and is
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lined with historic government buildings, plus bars and cafés – Prime Minister Mark Rutte can sometimes be seen sipping a beer at lunchtime in the sunshine. • Lange Voorhaut is a large, tree-lined square. It is particularly pretty in spring, when the crocuses are in bloom. On its west side is the Huis Hugueton, the home of the Dutch Supreme Court. • Denneweg is The Hague’s prime area for antique and speciality shops, with pleasant pubs and upmarket restaurants. The Hooigracht and Smidswater canals, two of the very few
canals in The Hague, run parallel to it. • The Palais Noordeinde is the royal palace used by the Dutch Queen, Beatrix, as her offi ce. It is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the street. • There is world class art to enjoy in The Hague – don’t miss a trip to the extraordinary 17th century Mauritshuis, where you’ll fi nd works including Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. The Gemeentemuseum meanwhile is home to works by Picasso, Mondrian and Paul Klee. l• The sea is easily accessible from The Hague’s centre.
Scheveningen, the most popular sea-side resort in the Netherlands, is just three kilometres away and has plenty of bars and cafés to explore. Scheveningen Pier is the largest Dutch pier and well worth a visit with a 60-metre-tall look- out tower, bungee jumping, a casino and restaurant. Meanwhile, Kijkduin is a smaller, quieter resort, popular with locals. • Children should delight in a visit to the miniature city of Madrodam and the 360 Omniversum cinema, both within easy reach of the Hague’s centre.
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The INDEX magazine January 2012
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