Thursday 5 May 2011

Spotted in The Netherlands: tulip fields on the Northeast Polder

(haciendo clic aquí puedes leer la versión en español)
Tulips from the Noordoostpolder in the province of Flevoland.
 At this time of the year in Holland the fields are transformed into a spectacular display of colour: it is the tulip season! In the months of April and May 10.000 hectares across The Netherlands burst with the colours of approximately 3 billion tulips in bloom and the landscape looks like a giant caleidoscope of spring beauty.


Tulips are considered a symbol of The Netherlands all over the world and every year thousands of tourists visit the country to admire the bulbs in full bloom during the spring months. The Keukenhof - the largest flower garden in the world situated not far from Amsterdam - alone receives 800,000 visitors per year attracted by the popular tulips.

Typical Dutch landscape on the Northeast Polder, near Blankenham.
However, the largest cultivated areas are not located in the west (North or South Holland) but in the Noordoostpolder (northeast polder) in the province of Flevoland with 2,000 hectares of bulb fields.

A red sea of tulips, near Bant, in the Noordoostpolder.
Last Saturday during our trip from Zwolle to the club where my husband practices clay pigeon shooting every week, we made several stops and detours on the way to admire the beautiful landscape and take some photographs. We were not the only ones: lots of people in cars, on bikes, on foot, were following the bulb route [bollenroute] in Flevoland and enjoying a warm sunny day.

A farm house in Blankenham, Noordoostpolder.
If you are interested in exploring the youngest province in the country and seeing what Flevoland has to offer, you can visit the VVV website here: Ook Flevoland. Also, the VVV office in the Noordoostpolder has information about local events and attractions: VVV Noordoostpolder; and from this website, you can get more information about the Tulpenfestival there and download the tulpenroute for your GPS or print it if you want.

Endless sea of tulips on the Noordoostpolder, near Luttelgeest.

A tulip field in the Noordoostpolder, Flevoland.

24 comments:

Katie said...

An absolute riot of color, Aledys! I love tulips, and I know I would enjoy this springtime display immensely. Thanks for sharing such lovely photos with us.

P.S. I thought it was interesting that your husband does clay pigeon shooting. Is that a sport he grew up with?

Unknown said...

@Katie,
Thanks!
A former neighbour and friend of my husband's introduced him to clay pigeon shooting and he has been doing it for at least 10 / 12 years. When I started accompanying him I have to say that I didn't like much being around guns and I didn't like the constant "bangs!" very much but I got used to it and I like going now. I am not yet tempted to give a try myself, though - and I don't think I'll ever be...

Presépio no Canal said...

It's the second time I look at photos about Noordoostpolder tulips. The first was here http://la-petite-lulu.blogspot.com/2011/04/more-tulips-tour-of-noordoostpolder.html
Since then I want to go there. Now a second input. Yes, I MUST to go there and see. ;-)

Unknown said...

@Presépio,
I wonder if they're still there... tomorrow I'm heading that way again, so I'll let you know!
We normally drive along the dijk between Kuinre and Vollenhove and that's where we spotted these tulip fields. Look up on Google Maps Noordoostpolder, these field where near Luttelgeest, Bant, Blankenham, Vollenhove.

Invader_Stu said...

I always like this time of year because my train journey becomes much more colourful.

Unknown said...

@Invader_Stu,
I bet it does! Beautiful sight, isn't it?

BLOGitse said...

oh boy! I've never seen so many flowers!!!
Amazing! Beautiful!
On Sunday you can see a lot of flowers in Finland. In Mother's Day people buy flowers to their mothers...We're going to have lunch to my mom's place - I'll pick wood anemones to her! :) I used to do that when I was a kid... :)

Unknown said...

I had no idea that the noordoost polder was home to so many tulips, it's almost on my doorstep! Please let me know too if they're still there this weekend and I'll make a detour to go through with my camera. Gorgeous!

Unknown said...

@BLOGitse,
It's Mothers Day here in the NL as well, so I suppose that tons of flowers are going to be sold!
I hope you have a great day with your mum and that you enjoy your meal together!

Unknown said...

@MissNeriss,
I will let you know, sure!! :D

Magdalena Viktoria said...

these are just ridiculously beautiful :)

Unknown said...

@magdalena viktoria,
Yes! Every spring I am amazed at the beauty of the tulip fields as if it were the first time I see them.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

By the time we got to the Keukenhof last year (the last weekend they were open), most of the surrounding fields were pretty empty. I'd love to see all the rows after rows of all the different colors. I love seeing overhead views. It's such a magnificent sight! Beautiful photos, as always!

Unknown said...

@oranjeflamingo,
The ideal time to go to the Keukenhof is late in April, I think.
There were lots of people doing the "bollenroute" there in Flevoland - it's not too far from where you are, if you have a car, I recommend it!

VagaMundos said...

WOW! We love tulips and your photos are amazing. It's exactly like you say: a sea of colors and what a magnificent sight for the eyes!
Saludos

Unknown said...

Thanks, VagaMundos!!! :D

la petite lulu said...

Gorgeous photos! It's such a nice time of year to be in Holland - you just can't beat the beauty of the colourful tulip fields!

Unknown said...

@la petite lulu,
Yes, it's lovely! It is a great time of the year, but thanking to the fact that it has been so sunny and nice lately! Rain is needed, but there's so much you can do and enjoy when the weather is so nice!

Mary Witzl said...

Those are lovely flowers and a feast for the eyes. I once walked through a park full of tulips in Amsterdam and felt almost drunk from the sweetness of them. But tulips are originally from Turkey and a lot of Turks are irritated that everybody assumes they are native to Holland. In Turkey, we saw so many images of tulips: little carvings, decorations in people's homes, etc. Before we went to Turkey, we'd had no idea!

(I love the fact that you've got Spanish on your blog! I can just about make out some of the meanings.)

Unknown said...

@Mary Witzl,
You must've been to the Keukenhof park which I mention in the post.
It must indeed be irritating to the Turkish people that tulips are mostly associated with Holland and not with their country! But well, they were brought over from Turkey to stay - what can I say! :D
Yes, I also post my blog in Spanish, too, for many people that can't, or don't want to, read in English.
Thanks!

Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista said...

I definitely need to get to the Netherlands during spring to see all the flowers and amazing colors! Simply beautiful.

Unknown said...

Yes, the spring is the best time of the year - though it tends to rain quite a bit... but hey, that's what actually makes the tulips look so beautiful!!

Where in the world is Lauren? said...

Hello,
I stumped upon your blog while planning my trip to the Netherlands during the Tulip Festival. I am an American in Paris (cliche, I know) and I'm wondering, what would you recommend Noordoostpolder or keukenhof for seeing tulips? Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

Hola! qué buenas fotos y buena info. Necesitaba preguntarte. Cómo llegás a Nordpool desde Amsterdam? Estoy mirando, pero sin auto se ve imposible.
Soy Argentina, vivo en Alemania, y viene una amiga a Amsterdam, y queria llevarla a pasear por ahi, pero no tenemos auto. Miro tren, nada, miro bus y son mil combinaciones, es asi? gracias!
alexia