Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands

In the 'Garden of Europe'

Welcome to the ‘Garden of Europe’—a nickname given to this public flower garden in Lisse, Netherlands. The literal translation of 'keukenhof'—from Dutch to English—is 'kitchen court,' since the original grounds for the park and flower garden began as a vegetable garden for the royal residents of Keuken Castle during the 15th century. This prompted another nickname for the pastoral spot: 'kitchen garden.'

Most years, the flower garden opens for just eight weeks in spring to take advantage of the blooming tulips, daffodils, and other flowers. But this year the Dutch government canceled all public events in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nevertheless, so much effort goes into the careful planning and planting of the garden that the staff of Keukenhof has vowed: 'If people cannot come to Keukenhof, we will bring Keukenhof to the people.' They'll be sharing video and images of this year's garden via various online channels.