These are said to be the most beautiful spring gardens in the world and (they) seem to be right - attracting  around 1.5 million visitors from March to May every year.

These gardens are enormous, covering 32 hectares, with 15kms of paths, 15 fountains and 32 bridges along with various large pavilions housing fantastic displays of exquisite flowers and floral art.

Each autumn the gardeners start to plant 7 million daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths bulbs so that in spring the gardens will be a mass of colour. 

They also carefully time their plantings so that the entire opening season will see continuous flushes of colour throughout.

The open air displays are breath-taking but the various pavilions are equally awe-inspiring with some of the most beautiful displays of perfect blooms of such a wide array of flowering plants.

These include - Bromeliads, Amaryllis, Anthurium, Orchids of all persuasion, Hippeatstrum, Hyacinth, Iris, Kalanchoe, Muscari, Narcissus, Primula, Syringa (lilac) and of course the ubiquitous Tulipa - amongst many more. 

This place is so much more than tulips.

There are guided tours around the park and plenty of first class facilities for refreshments or more formal dining - and as you'd expect theres a full size windmill to climb up and enjoy stunning views across the rich coloured fields.

This place is a celebration of the great horticultural skills of the Dutch - if you've got it, flaunt it . . and they do, to fantastic effect.

Every October The Flower Bulb Market offers an opportunity to buy bulbs directly from the bulb growers - many rare species available.