There's nothing more quintessentially Dutch as the national flower of The Netherlands - the tulip. The best place to see these iconic blooms is Keukenhof, also known as "The Garden of Europe", in South Holland during mid April when miles of tulips burst into a riot of colour to welcome the arrival of Spring. Keukenhof may be saturated with visitors when they open from mid March to mid May. But with 7 million bulbs - tulips, hyacinths, and roses just to name a few - planted over 79 acres of park there are enough flowers for everyone to stop and smell. Best head there early to avoid the crowds: arrive no later than 9:00am for a somewhat tranquil experience in one of world's largest flower gardens.
I nipped over to Amsterdam on Wednesday to catch up with my mom and aunt who are in town for the tulip festival. Ever the style icon, mummy brought with her the most fitting accessory to the land of tulips: this gorgeous nude satchel embellished with flowers - the 'Fashion Show Dot Com' from Fendi Flowerland Spring/Summer 2016. The bag was so fresh off the racks that I was the one who lifted it from her suitcase, unwrapped it, and declared the handbag mine for a day. I can't think of a better occasion to carry it than for a visit to Keukenhof.
"Feminine but never too girly"
Just the collection then, for the tomboy named after a flower but whose 'delicate and becoming' qualities are merely skin deep. In reality I'm awkward, clumsy, and far more childish than the playful nature of Flowerland. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but this jasmine would be better suited to the name 'butt-mushroom'.
On a final note: I couldn't be happier for all the vibrant colours of Keukenhof flower gardens, which I hope comes across in these photos as a departure from the less saturated pictures in my recent blog posts. Lord knows with everything that has happened lately, I could certainly use more colour and joy in my life. I pray now that spring is here, the dark clouds that have haunted me for so long will clear to let the sunshine through again. x