When it’s spring again I’ll bring again
Tulips from Amsterdam
With a heart that’s true I’ll give to you
Tulips from Amsterdam
Songwriters: Ralf Arnie / Ernst Bader / Klaus Guenter Neumann / Batia Sharon
While many people head to Holland to see the tulips, we have London’s Holland Park. There the Dutch Gardens are planted with formal beds edged with low hedges and overflowing with tulips every spring.
The park was once part of the grounds of Holland House, established in the early 18th century and opened to the public in 1952. Its best-known area is the Japanese-style Kyoto Garden; however there is much more to discover, including these beautiful formal gardens. They lie nearest to the house and were remodelled in the 19th century. This Dutch Garden forms one section, edged by a lovely old brick wall, formerly part of the 17th century stables.
All the photos below, shared for Denzil’s Nature Photo challenge, were taken in May 2022, as we haven’t yet got around to visiting this year. A few have been shared in in the past, I know. But I’ve not previously got around to devoting a whole post to this glorious riot of colour. See if you can spot the tiny bugs in a few of them!
I visit Holland Park often; all these photos were taken on my most recent visit in May 2022
56 Comments
Marie
Those dark purples are stunning –
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, they seem to have caught everyone’s eye, not just mine!
leightontravels
Haven’t been to Holland Park in years. I shall have to take Sladja along the next time we’re back, though lord only knows when that will be. Delicious shots with such rich colours. Purple doesn’t usually come to mind when I think of tulips, but I think they are my favourites from your gallery. Scanning through the comments, I see I’m not alone in thinking that.
Sarah Wilkie
You’re right, the purple ones seem to be general favourites -and mine too 💜
wetanddustyroads
And it seems to me the tulips are just as beautiful in London as they are in Amsterdam! The colours are so bright – it must be lovely to see after a cold winter. Oh yes, and I had to look closely, but I could see some tiny bugs!
Sarah Wilkie
They are just as beautiful, I think, but probably less plentiful, although we do our best! Glad you found the bugs 😉
bluebrightly
What a wonderful mix of pure joy those beds are! 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – it’s hard not to smile at such cheerful colours 😀
Tales From My Lens
I just love the darker tulips!! Such pretty photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – they do set the others off well, don’t they?!
Marilyn Armstrong
That deep purple one is gorgeous. Almost black!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes – so striking among the more vivid ones too!
Teresa
Such a pretty colour! 🧡
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you like them Teresa 😀
grandmisadventures
Nothing welcomes spring like tulips. These are so pretty! I love that contrast between the dark purple ones and the bright orange ones 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, some great contrasts in the planting here – very striking!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
We were in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago but didn’t see many tulips. The flower market was still mostly bulbs. Keukenhof opened a couple of days before we came home and we almost went but decided it was probably too early for the outdoor displays (we’ve made that mistake before). Lovely gallery.
Sarah Wilkie
I remember you were in Amsterdam – your anniversary trip! But yes, a little too early for the tulips I guess.
Leela Gopinath
Beautiful Tulips. I did spot the bugs on two of them…
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leela 🙂 Yes, the last two have bugs for sure! There are dark spots on some of the others that I think are probably bugs too, but harder to make out.
Denzil
I love those almost-black tulips Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
They’re my favourites too Denzil – so dramatic!
norasphotos4u
Gorgeous colors!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Nora 😀
Rose
Your tulip images make me so excited for spring to get here! Our ground is still deeply snow-covered, but we might get a few warmer days next week to melt some of it away. 🌞🌷
Sarah Wilkie
Wow, still deep snow in April? I wouldn’t like that! I hope you get a thaw soon and start to see some signs of spring 🌷
Sue
What a glorious riot of tulip colours, Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Sue, the planting here is a great mix of vivid colours!
Sue
Yep, just fab!
Heyjude
Yet another location to put on my list of things to do and see in London (when I get there) I like the idea of a Japanese style garden and I adore tulips. Especially the dark purple, almost black ones which look fabulous alongside oranges. Some of mine have begun to open, I find that most tulips here are in April and rarely last until May unless it is cooler. I just pray for dry and still weather.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s a lovely park to visit and usually less busy than the better known and more central ones, apart from the Kyoto garden which does get a bit crowded at times, mainly because it’s quite small and the paths very narrow. Definitely worth visiting however, and if you love tulips you’d enjoy this part of the park even more!
Heyjude
I’d have to make a trip in April then!
Sarah Wilkie
Maybe wait till May – I reckon when I took these in early May last year the flowers were at their best 🙂
Cee Neuner
Oh what gorgeous tulips 😀 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Happy you like them Cee 😀
Easymalc
Believe it or not Sarah I am someone who enjoys gardens and flowers. I know Holland Park and also the Keukenhof Gardens, but when I read your openening words I couldn’t help but think of Tiny Tim with his Union Jack carrier bag 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Of course I believe that Malcolm 😆
Mike and Kellye Hefner
The epitome of spring! These are gorgeous shots, Sarah. I especially enjoyed seeing the deep purple tulips because I’ve never seen that color before.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Kellye, those are my favourites too – they look like velvet!
Monkey's Tale
So beautiful! We are so far away from having tulips this year, I’ll enjoy spring through your pictures. But I think you got the date wrong. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
We don’t have many tulips yet either, although I’ve not checked how this particular park is doing. These are from last year 🙂
Monkey's Tale
Oh, I think you wrote 2023.
Tanja
Beautiful tulips, even black or is that deep purple?and you are a time traveller🙂already in May
Sarah Wilkie
It’s a deep purple Tanja 🙂 No time traveller me – these are from last year!
Tanja
Deep purple, nice.oh yes, last year. I saw it wrong🙂
Susanne Swanson
Fabulous! I would love to visit that park. Our tulip fields north of Seattle are slow to bloom this year due to the cold weather but I hope to go see them later this month.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Susanne 😀 Our spring flowers are running a little late too. I hope you get to see your tulip fields!
Anne Sandler
Beautiful Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne 😊
Pepper
Stunning captures. 😊
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊
Yvonne Dumsday
Utterly fantastic!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Yvonne, glad you enjoyed them D
thehungrytravellers.blog
Aren’t the deep purple ones a gorgeous colour….quite like the “blackberry ripple” one too. Despite all my knowledge of our great capital, I had (stupidly perhaps) never realised that there was a connection between Holland Park and the Netherlands, other than the name. Silly me!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, I love those deep purples. The name of the park comes from the house which in turn comes from its former owner, the Earl of Holland. What connection he had to the Netherlands I was unsure but a quick Google search just now led me to Wikipedia which states that ‘The name “Holland” in the title refers to the area of Lincolnshire historically known as Holland’. So actually no connection to the country at all! Does my post give the impression that there is?
thehungrytravellers.blog
Well only because of the Dutch Garden. Lincolnshire makes far more sense!