The growers behind the garden

Every Keukenhof spring begins in the previous autumn, when about forty gardeners plant roughly seven million bulbs by hand, according to descriptions on the garden's own site and in reference summaries. The bulbs are donated by more than a hundred growers, many of them family firms working fields in the Dutch bulb belt around Lisse.

The garden was founded in 1949 by a group of bulb growers and flower exporters who wanted a place to show their products to the world. It opened to the public in 1950. The land has older roots: it was once the hunting ground and kitchen garden of Teylingen Castle. Today Keukenhof is run by a charitable foundation, receives no government subsidy and drew about 1.4 million visitors in 2025, according to reference sources.

Behind the display is a business of selecting, breeding and cultivating bulbs that takes years. Growers use the garden as a showcase, and visitors can see new varieties alongside established ones. The commercial fields outside the garden belong to farmers, and the best way to see them is from the road or by bicycle, while respecting private land.

As a visitor, you can support growers and workers by buying bulbs and flowers from the garden's shops and local farms, and by following the rules about staying out of the fields.