Each month we give you the 10 Best the province of South Holland has to offer across a range of categories. With March 1st marking the start of Spring, and with the sun starting to shine a bit more often, we chose “Gardens” as the focus of this month’s Top 10 List.
Our list is not in any specific order, but if it were, it would look something like this:
- #1 Keukenhof
- #2-10 all others
That is not to say the other nine gardens are not high-quality or worth visiting. On the contrary, all ten listed offer highly-respected horticultural assortments and attractive landscapes. But Keukenhof Gardens is a stunning attraction which is in a class unto itself during the time of the year when the tulip fields are in bloom. It is world-renown for its multi-colored fields which have adorned many a Holland postcard. It is one of the Netherlands largest tourist attractions with just under one million visitors during its short two-month season.
If you weren’t aware of some of these other botanical gardens and aboretums located here in South Holland, why not plan a visit? You’ll get to experience some of nature’s most vibrant colors and intoxicating fragrances. Most are easily accessible by some form of public transportation, whether it be tram, bus, metro or train.
Top 10 Gardens in South Holland, Netherlands
One of the largest flower gardens in the world, Keukenhof attracts visitors from both within the Netherlands and from abroad. 7 million tulip bulbs are planted each year. Aside from all the outdoor gardens, it also offers flower exhibitions inside pavilions (including specific shows for orchids, roses, daffodils, chrysantemums, etc.). See the 2014 exhibit schedule here. Among other activities, there is a petting zoo for kids, bike rentals, a boat ride through the tulip fields, even sightseeing plane tours. Combination tickets can be purchased online which includes coach transportation from either Leiden Centraal or Schipol train stations, along with admission into the park. You can also purchase a 2014 Season Pass which provides unlimited access to the park (cost is €45 for adults, €17.50 for children). Keukenhof Gardens opens for the 2014 season on Thursday, 20 March.
The botanical garden in Leiden is a separate entity within Leiden University. It was founded in 1590 which makes it the oldest of its kind in the Netherlands and one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. There are more than 10,000 plant species in the Hortus Botanicus Leiden, as well as many bird species which have set up home in the gardens. In the greenhouse pavilion, you will find a large array of tropical flowering ferns and some rare plants like the Venus flytrap. Hortus Botanicus Leiden also offers a cafe and a gift shop. For visitor information, including open times and admission costs, click here.
The Trompenberg Arboretum & Gardens is located in the Kralingen-Crooswijk area of Rotterdam, not far from the Erasmus University campus. The land was originally part of an estate. In the 1800′s an English-style garden was developed on the property, followed by an arboretum in 1895. Over time, the property changed ownership and then in 1958, the Trompenberg Arboretum Foundation was established for the purpose of maintaining the Trompenberg gardens. Today the property also offers a cafe and meeting/banquet hall. You can buy a one-day ticket (Adults: €6.25) or an annual pass (€23) which gives unlimited access. For operating hours, click here.
The Clingendael Estate has been owned by the Municipality of The Hague since 1954. The Japanese Garden on the estate was created around 1910 and is the oldest Japanese Garden in the Netherlands. The Dutch Garden was created around 1915. You can download a PDF brochure in English from the city’s municpal website.
TU Delft Botanical Garden (Delft)
This 2.5-hectare botanical garden was founded in 1917. There are four main features or sections: arboretum, greenhouse, main garden, herb garden. This botanical garden is home to over 7,000 plant species. Find out more about the history of the TU Delft Botanical Garden here.
Cultural & Historical Botanical (Rotterdam)
This 1-acre garden, sometimes referred to as the Heemtuin Charlois, is located on the west end of Rotterdam’s Zuiderpark. It was created on land formerly used as a tram depot. It is designed to encompass the natural flora which dominated the landscape before development and expansion of the city. Open weekdays 08:00-16:00 and on weekends 12:00-16:00.
Duivenvoorde Gardens (Voorschoten)
The English-styled gardens of Castle Duivenvoorde in Voorschoten were designed in the 19th century, replacing the French-styled gardens which had existed since the 17th century. The grounds are landscaped with ponds and bridges. An ongoing restoration of the gardens continues. The park is open daily from 09:00-sunset, year-round. Scheduled guided tours of the grounds take place periodically. Information about admission to the grounds of the estate here.
The botanical garden sits on 3.5-hectare site inside the Gouda recreation area. It consists of various landscapes which are native to this region in the Groene Hart, including peat marshes. Physical work began in 1986 and the gardens were completed in 1990. You can visit the park everyday year-round, from sunrise to sunset.
Arboretum-Heempark Delft is both an arboretum and a botanical garden (to learn the difference, click here). It was created in 1966-67 to offset the urban spread of the city of Delft. The park is open every day from sunrise to sunset. A handy tool is available on the park’s website. Click here and then enter the month of the year and it will tell you which flowers will be in bloom in the gardens.
Noordeinde Palace Gardens (The Hague)
Of course the Royal Gardens had to make our list of the ten best gardens in South Holland! The Palace Gardens were first designed and created back in the 17th century and used to be called “Princess Gardens”. It is open to the public everyday from sunrise to sunset.