Wednesday, April 17, 2024

● Breakfast at Golden Tulip Leiden Centre

● Visit Hortus Botanicus Leiden

● Explore Rosarium Westbroek Park

● Visit Royal Delft Pottery

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Golden Tulip Leiden Centre

HORTUS BOTANICUS LEIDEN

The Hortus Leiden is the oldest botanic garden in The Netherlands. The oldest section of the Hortus, dating back to 1590, is the current Front Garden. It has been renovated with new plants and in 2000, a new glasshouse was added to form the Winter Garden. The Clusius Garden gives an impression of what the Hortus was like around 1600, when the bonds between the Netherlands and Asia were formed. The exchange of plants and knowledge between these cultures can be seen in the Japanese Garden. The Hortus’ pride, Victoria amazonica, can be admired in the Victoria Glasshouse.

ROSARIUM WESTBROEKPARK, The Hague

The Westbroekpark in The Hague was created during the 1920’s according to a design by Pieter Westbroek. The colorful rose garden is one of the park's highlights, as is the romantic tearoom where you can enjoy high tea. The Westbroekpark rosarium has acquired international fame. The rose garden contains approximately 20,000 rose bushes and more than 300 varieties of roses. 

THE ROYAL DUTCH DELFTWARE, Delft

The Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory "De Porceleyne Fles", established in 1653, is the last remaining Delftware factory from the 17th century. The world famous Royal Delftware is still entirely hand-painted according to centuries-old tradition.

A visit to Royal Delft includes:

• The history of Blue Delft and Royal Delft and its development and production process. • Master painter at work • The dining room of Vermeer and the Dutch Royal family Chamber • Museum with antique Delft pieces • Ceramic rooms  with building ceramics • Historical courtyard • Visit to the factory

Thursday, April 18, 2024

● Breakfast at Golden Tulip Leiden Centre

● Visit Keringhuis and Maeslant Kering

● Visit Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum

● Visit Molens Kinderdijk UNICEF

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Golden Tulip Leiden Centre

KERINGHUIS,  Hoek van Holland

Visit The Keringhuis, Public Water Management Information Centre about flood risk management in the Province of Zuid-Holland and the impressive Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier. The Keringhuis shows how the Dutch still manage to keep their feet dry. The Maeslant Storm Surge barrier is the last part of the Dutch Delta Works and is the world’s largest moveable barrier. This impressive construction cannot be described in words, only experienced.

STICHTING TROMPENBURG TUINEN & ARBORETUM, Rotterdam

Trompenburg is a beautifully designed botanic garden (20 acres) boasting a large collection of trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and tubers. Located in the district of Kralingen just outside Rotterdam city center, this is a real treasure trove for any plant lover and an oasis of tranquility for walkers away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Due to this special collection, Trompenburg is also acknowledged as a museum and municipal monument, The Green Museum of Rotterdam.

KINDERDIJK

In The Netherlands today boasts more than 1,000 mills. Around 1740 near Kinderdijk stood no less than 19 sturdy mills built, which are well preserved to the present day. The mills drain the excess water from the Alblasserwaard polders - situated below sea-level - after which the water is sluiced into the river Lek (Rijn). The powerful mill sails serve to transmit wind force on to large paddle-wheels which scoop up the water. Nowadays power-driven pumping engines do the job, including one of the largest water screw pumping-stations in Western Europe. The Foundation "Wereld Erfgoed Kinderdijk" maintains and preserves the windmills in Kinderdijk. The preservation is not limited to the windmills themselves, but also covers the area in which the windmills are situated. In 1997 the mills of Kinderdijk were put on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

Friday, April 19, 2024

● Breakfast at Golden Tulip Leiden Centre

● Visit private garden at De Briellaerd

● Visit Tuinen Mergen-Metz

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Bastion Hotel in Arnhem

HOVENIERSCENTRUM DE BRIELLAERD, Barneveld 

Gardening center De Briellaerd shows various garden styles: English garden, modern garden, shadow garden, and small gardens.

DE TUINEN VAN MERGENMETZ, Doorwerth

A garden of 1 hectare, half of which is part of the Dutch Ecological Main Structure. The traditional garden is turned into a Edible Ornamental Garden with partly exotic crops and native edibles. Behind the house lies a kitchen garden of 300 m2; here the founders goal is to create a garden where everything that grows can be eaten.

Saturday, April 20, 2024

● Breakfast at Bastion Hotel in Arnhem

● Visit Arnhem Center

● Visit Eusebius Church

● Visit Kijktuin De Stek

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Bastion Hotel in Arnhem

DE TUINEN VAN HET SPIJKERKWARTIER, Arnhem

In town centre of Arnhem, city quarter Spijkerkwartier, one can find 11 “hidden” gardens, open to the public. These special gardens are designed by the residents, who mostly maintain the gardens themselves.

EUSEBIUS CHURCH BUILDING, Arnhem

The Eusebius Church tells the history of almost twelve centuries of Arnhem, and not just as the capital of Gelderland. The city was an important power and trade center in Europe under Karel van Gelre (1467-1538). In the Second World War (1944-1945), the Eusebius Church, like the people of Arnhem, had a very hard time. But the church was resurrected during the recent reconstruction period and has given the city and its inhabitants their pride back.

- The Battle of Arnhem

The Eusebius Church was at the center of the fighting during the Battle of Arnhem. On the night of 19 to 20 September 1944, the church was heavily shot at and almost completely burned out. To make matters worse, when the Rhine Bridge was blown up in 1945, half the tower broke loose and collapsed onto the battered nave of the church.

- Spectacular Panorama lift, Glass balconies

Thanks to the glass wall, the lift offers an increasingly wider view of Arnhem, the Rhine, the Betuwe and the Veluwezoom. At the same time, the lift offers a view of the inside of the tower. This enables the bells of the impressive carillon in the tower to be admired up close.

HOBBY KWEKERIJ EN KIJKTUINEN DE STEK, Driel

The garden lies on historic grounds from the Roman period. The Limes route runs right through the garden. During the Second World War the house was used as headquarters of the Polish Airborne Brigade, around which were heavily fought by the Poles and Germans. The garden emphasizes the variation in plants; over 1,900 species are spread throughout 21 themed gardens.

Sunday, April 21, 2024

● Breakfast at Bastion Hotel in Arnhem

● Visit De Prunushof

● Visit Lewisia and Rhodohypoxis World

● Visit Mien Ruys Tuinen

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Van Der Valk Hotel Emmeloord

DE PRUNUSHOF, Wilp

The collector's garden has been laid out in a landscape style on the 1 1⁄2 hectare former nursery. Under the large collection of trees (90 species of Prunus) one finds underplanting of a wide variety of perennials and grasses, including 60 species of peonies, many special shrubs, pinetum, rose garden, and 250 types of container plants.

LEWISIA AND RHODOHYPOXIS WORLD, Gorssel

The rock garden lies hidden behind a row of new houses. Various biotopes have been created; plants from Alpen, Himalaya, Rocky Moutains, South Africa, New Zealand.

MIEN RUYS GARDENS, Dedemsvaart 

An overview of garden architecture from 1924 to the present. 30 inspirational gardens with experiments in design, plants and materials. The gardens are a lifetime’s work of Mien Ruys, one of the most important garden architects in the 20th Century.

Monday, April 22, 2024

● Breakfast at Van Der Valk Hotel Emmeloord

● Visit De Stekkentuin, Espel

● Visit Het Zwaluwhuis, Ens

● Visit De Orchideeënhoeve, Luttelgeest

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Van Der Valk Hotel Emmeloord

DE STEKKENTUIN, Espel

Landscape and farm garden of 4,000 m2, with special plant collections: 350 species of helleborus, cyclamen, snowdrops, and 25,000 bulb flowers in spring, next to the hosta walk; 200 holyhocks, 90 hydrangea, and a sedum collection.

HET ZWALUWHUIS, Ens Bezoektuin en tuinontwerp

A sleek rural farm garden in the Noordoostpolder. The NOP, since 1942 reclaimed land from the former Zuiderzee. The garden has been landscaped in 2014, so a young garden, with many grasses, perennials fruit trees, and small kitchen garden.

DE ORCHIDEEENHOEVE, Luttelgeest

Explore the Orchideeën Hoeve and discover the most magnificent jungle park of Europe. Wander around in the indoor park (25,000 m2) and let yourself be enchanted by breathtaking nature full of exceptional flowers, plants, and animals. Visit the tropical butterfly garden, cavort around the water-rich playground, have lunch in the fairytale-like "Suspended’ Flower Garden," and discover the brand-new meerkat garden.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

● Breakfast at Van Der Valk Hotel Emmeloord

● Visit Ponderosa, Wijdenes

● Visit De Kleine Vos, Zuidoostbeemster

● Canal Cruise Amsterdam

Meals Included - Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam Rembrandt Park

PONDAROSA, Wijdenes

A large lover’s garden with a wild flower garden, glass house, kitchen garden, picking garden and forest in the making. Special are the 90 year old low standard gold reinets.

NATUURTHEETUIN "DE KLEINE VOS", Zuidoostbeemster

THE BEEMSTER POLDER, dating from the early 17th century, is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in The Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. The Beemster Polder is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. 

In the garden of 4,000 m2 are many small winding paths and two natural ponds. The garden is allowed to take its course in its growth and flowering. A little paradise on earth and beautiful in every season.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

● Breakfast Box at Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam Rembrandt Park

● Visit FloraHolland Royal Co-Operative Flower Auction

● Visit Hortus Bulborum

● Explore Singel Canal Floating Flower Market

Meals Included - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging - Leonardo Hotel Amsterdam Rembrandt Park

ROYAL CO-OPERATIVE FLOWER AUCTION, Aalsmeer

The Netherlands is the heart of the international floriculture sector. It has an intricate and high-quality network of companies, ranging from breeders and growers to sales experts and export firms, representing every aspect of the business. The Netherlands is the place where supply and demand come together, from Europe and beyond. FloraHolland flower auction plays a key role in the Netherlands, land of Floriculture where its position as marketplace fulfils the role of matchmaker, intermediary and knowledge center.

STICHTING HORTUS BULBORUM, Limmen

The foundation manages the unique Hortus collection garden with its 4,000 spring-flowering historical bulbs. This collection consists primarily of tulips, narcissus and hyacinths, but there is also a small number of Fritillaria and crocus, primarily the C.vernus types. In addition to functioning as a gene bank, the garden has a seasonal display of thousands of heirloom bulbs, some of which are no longer in commercial production. Certain tulips originated in the 16th century. The Fritillaria persica on display was already in cultivation as early as 1577, while the oldest narcissus is several centuries older yet. The visiting public has the pleasure of enjoying such legendary tulips as the ‘Duc van Tol Red and Yellow ‘(1595), ‘Zomerschoon’ (1620), popular during the Tulipmania (1635-1637) period or the exotic parrot tulip ‘Perfecta” (1750), and many other fascinating examples.

Singel Canal Floating Flower Market

Walk the only floating flower market in the world. Located in the city center, the flower stalls are found on boats, moored on the canals, reminiscent of days gone by when the market was supplied daily by boats.