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| Photo by Keukenhof |
Keukenhof, Holland’s famed seven-milion-bulbed tulip gardens, is bringing some color to New York City. Last week, members of The Battery Conservatory joined with members of the Netherlands Tourism Board, Consul General of the Netherlands and representatives from Keukenhof to plant the first of the fall bulbs in Battery Park to commemorate the fall planting of bulbs over at the Keukenhof Flower Exhibition in the Netherlands.
The Battery, which is visited by millions of people annually, will plant 25,000 bulbs donated by Keukenhof for a flower display set to bloom in the spring of 2017. The flower bulb donation honors the Dutch heritage of the downtown Manhattan park. New Yorkers and visitors alike will now be able to see a uniquely Dutch tradition.
While the bulbs were being planted stateside, over at Keukenhof gardeners had just started the planting of the parks approximate seven million bulbs as well. Once bloomed, the tulips and other flowers will create a vibrant display of color in the spring. During its peak season, Keukenhof receives over one million visitors, roughly 10 percent of which are Americans.
To authenticate the experience, coffee and stroopwafels – or, traditional Dutch cookies – were provided and served from one of the most famous Dutch transportation vehicles, known as the Bakfiets.
Consul General of the Netherlands in New York, Dolph Hogewoning, attended the event and made a statement saying “What a wonderful way to share Dutch traditions in a New York City Park where we share such a great cultural heritage.”
For those who fall in love with the Battery Park gardens and need more, Keukenhof is open for its 2017 season from March 23 to May 21, with peak bloom time typically occurring from the second week in April to the first Week in May.