Tulips for Mothers' Day? The months of April and May bring back colorful memories of my first trip to Europe when I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Keukenhof Botanical Gardens in Lisse, Netherlands. Keukenhof, dubbed as the most beautiful spring garden in the world 1 opens the gardens to the public for four weeks in spring starting mid-April up to mid-May, with grand flower shows and matching art exhibits. Tulips in the Garden: A Sign of Affluence At the time of our visit, the theme was the Golden Age - an era during the 16th century when "Dutch trade, art, science and military were much acclaimed all over the world." 2 Tulips which grew wild in the mountainsides of Turkey and were introduced by Turkish traders to the Dutch "commanded a price similar to those of exotic products like spices and oriental rugs that it became a luxury item destined only for the gardens of the affluent." 3 It is said that it was deemed to be a "proof of bad taste
Homegrown gardening ideas and projects, personal and travel experiences that contribute to greening and protecting the environment, unlocking creative potentials and nurturing life values.