Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: Lvandelft on April 15, 2008, 06:51:37 PM

Title: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 15, 2008, 06:51:37 PM

When driving home yesterday, from the Lisse Flowershow, I made some
stops to make pictures of the bulbfields.
I thought some of you will not have the opportunity to see these.
At the moment its mostly Hyacinth fields, later the tulipfields will show more different colours.
I made one picture of the selecting field of a Narcissus breeder and the last field you'll have to scroll. When I made it smaller it lost a part of its beauty.
Hope you like it.

Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: David Nicholson on April 15, 2008, 07:44:02 PM
Beautiful 'seas' of colour Luit. Next year I must try to get to Keukenhof.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 15, 2008, 11:38:08 PM
Maybe not how one would like to have them in the garden but as a spectacle, utterly outstanding, incredible almost.  8) I'm thinking the scent could be overpowering ???
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: ranunculus on April 16, 2008, 07:38:44 AM
Super pictures yet again Luit....you have a lovely front garden!  :)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: tonyg on April 16, 2008, 10:24:15 AM
I think we should hire a helicopter so you can give us the complete overview of the tapestry of colour ;D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Thomas Huber on April 16, 2008, 01:33:34 PM
Many, many thanks for these photos, Luit!
We can be soooo happy to have you on the forum showing such great sights!
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: annew on April 16, 2008, 09:15:57 PM
Like Lesley, my first thought was WOW, then my second was - what did it smell like?  :o
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 16, 2008, 10:23:41 PM
Beautiful 'seas' of colour Luit. Next year I must try to get to Keukenhof.

Don't wait too long David. Sterling is falling..... ;D............ :D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 16, 2008, 10:31:23 PM
For those who are sensitive to smelling bulbfields (Lesley and others)  I can show another field.

Fritillaria field [window-view Eastside]
This means when the wind is coming from there we have to keep the windows closed...... ??? ::) :o


Super pictures yet again Luit....you have a lovely front garden!  :)

Cliff here is our front garden:

Bulbfield [window-view westside]

Our garden beside:
Bulbfield Narcissus Bridal Crown Windowview southside
Narcissus Bridal Crown field
Narcissus Bridal Crown



Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 16, 2008, 11:04:09 PM
Yes Luit, I can imagine what the beds of F. imperialis must smell like. DEEPLY impressed by the field of Narcissus `Bridal Crown.' Hundreds of thousands, or millions all in bloom at once. I suppose this would be a very popular variety for spring wedding bouquets and decorations.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 16, 2008, 11:10:14 PM
DEEPLY impressed by the field of Narcissus `Bridal Crown.' Hundreds of thousands, or millions all in bloom at once. I suppose this would be a very popular variety for spring wedding bouquets and decorations.


This year there are 50 Hectares planted, and most bulbs are sold in winter/spring as potplants.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 16, 2008, 11:19:32 PM
Dear God! You mean 50 hectares of that one variety?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 16, 2008, 11:32:27 PM
Dear God! You mean 50 hectares of that one variety?

Yes Lesley, there are 1687 Hectares Narcissus planted in Holland.

But there are more Narcissus of one variety alone in China.  ???
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Carlo on April 16, 2008, 11:45:38 PM
Lesley,

How else would they provide for the rest of the world....?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 17, 2008, 02:00:51 AM
Well, we grow a heck of a lot ourselves :-\
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 21, 2008, 10:58:45 PM
Early in the evening we drove a little around in our area.
Maybe the colours could be better some hours earlier, but then there is so much traffic
that you cannot stop everywhere.
I made one picture called Art with Hyac. flowers.
Every spring people are invited to show mosaics or other things made with bulbflowers.
And tourists like it very much.

Here some pictures:
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 21, 2008, 11:12:03 PM
And here one of this morning, which I forgot before
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 22, 2008, 04:54:38 AM
Nice lessons in perspective here. I like the storks too. Maybe they should be put in touch with the travel giraffe. I'm sure they'd have many floral tales to share. :)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Thomas Huber on April 22, 2008, 11:27:27 AM
 :o :o :o

Thanks Luit!
Any Crocus fields around your hometown for photos next year?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 23, 2008, 07:39:57 AM
:o :o :o

Thanks Luit!
Any Crocus fields around your hometown for photos next year?
There are not so many Crocus fields inour area Thomas, most of the appr. 460 Ha. will
be grown in the North of Holland.

Here a few others from my "frontgarden"
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Gerard Oud on April 23, 2008, 07:25:46 PM
Luit, you have got a "house" with a view.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on April 24, 2008, 08:46:39 AM
So it is.    :D :D :D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Paul T on April 24, 2008, 12:39:30 PM
Luit,

The scale of these operations is just mindblowing.  Amazing!!!  :o
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Joakim B on May 02, 2008, 12:37:05 PM
Thanks a lot Luit
I hope You continue to take us to the Bulbfields. Most of us will not have achance to see them and flying to Amsterdam might not be on the wright time of the year to see the fields but one can see them (around Amsterdam)from the plane but it is nothing compared with this pictures a lovly magnum scale to bulbs that I have nerver seen before.
Hope You will be able to show more.

PS we grow quite some narcissus and tulips ourself in Sweden too, but with Dutch bulbs. :)

Kind regards
Joakim
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on May 02, 2008, 11:19:50 PM
Luit,
simply fascinating to follow up your postings!

Is the "frontgarden" Tulipa fosteriana "Madame Lefeber" syn. "Red Emperor" ?

Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on May 03, 2008, 07:09:49 AM
Luit,
simply fascinating to follow up your postings!
Is the "frontgarden" Tulipa fosteriana "Madame Lefeber" syn. "Red Emperor" ?

No Armin,
I know that my neighbour grows Tulipa greigii "Ali Baba", so this will probably be it?
But, as the label was on the other side (200 m.) of the field and it is better not to walk
through the fields, when so many tourists are around, I am not sure.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on May 03, 2008, 09:47:31 PM
Thanks Luit,
at least both resemble.
A fantastic color spectacle!  8)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on May 06, 2008, 07:42:44 PM
On Sunday, when such beautiful weather, we made a cycletour in our area and
I made pictures of some fields again.
I think these will be the last fields for this year, because it is above 20 C. every day now.

First the fields near my house, where only here and there some colour is left.
The yellow colour on this picture is a field in front of my house with Tulipa Washington (2 pict.)
The next fields are farther away and I show on one picture a machine which is
used to cut the flowers of when almost overripe.
on pict. 06 there was such a machine used some days earlier.

Bulbfield 01               
Bulbfield 02 [T. Washington]                   
Bulbfield 03 [T. Washington]         
Bulbfield 04           
Bulbfield 05                   
Bulbfield 06             
Bulbfield 07[machine]             
Bulbfield 08                 
Bulbfield 09       
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on May 06, 2008, 07:44:08 PM
and here the last fields, worth showing here:

Bulbfield 10             
Bulbfield 011         
Bulbfield 012
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: David Nicholson on May 06, 2008, 08:05:04 PM
Just lovely Luit. Will the bulbs be lifted and stored, and if so how are they stored please, and are there other crops grown on the bulbfields?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on May 19, 2008, 10:06:58 PM
Today, when driving home from Lisse, I saw these two fields with
mostly botanical tulips. I thought it was all over already.
O.k. in a few days it be over.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on June 10, 2008, 07:20:14 PM
Yesterday, when I was on a cycletour, I saw some nice fields.
I hope you like them too.

Anemone coronaria field 1.
 Anemone coronaria field 2.
 Anemone coronaria field 3.
 Allium Globemaster
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: David Nicholson on June 10, 2008, 07:26:45 PM
Luit, the beauty of your flowers makes up a little for the absence of hills. If I got on a bike around here I wouldn't last very long ;D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on November 03, 2009, 12:30:41 AM
How did I ever miss these brilliant photos!
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on November 03, 2009, 07:05:55 AM
Thank you Mark!
But on this Forum it is impossible to see all photos. One day away is enough to miss 5 or more new topics.
We have to make our choices, or never go out to work in the garden etc. ::) ::)   ;)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Paul T on November 03, 2009, 09:54:36 AM
Mark,

More to the point.... after 18 months how did you ever find this topic?  :o  I can't find topics that were posted in a month ago, let alone 18 months ago.  ;D

Very nice to be reminded of Luit's photos though.  The scope of the plantings is just amazing.  8)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on November 03, 2009, 09:57:24 AM
Paul I was researching Tulipa greigii
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Paul T on November 03, 2009, 10:18:40 AM
Ah, that makes sense.  I just thought you were wandering through the topics and came across it. :-X
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: dominique on November 03, 2009, 07:37:38 PM

Luit
Why do the growers put straw on the fields ? Protect from cold in winter ? Thank for all
Dom
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 03, 2009, 08:24:25 PM
Well lucky you Mark. I've never yet been about to find anything I wanted from the Search box, even when I use it right in the relevant subject. E.g. when I go to the Iris board, I still can't find a reference to an iris I know was made a while back.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on November 03, 2009, 09:12:30 PM
Lesley it doesnt always work for me. Do you know you must first go back to the forum home page and search from there? That's how it works best for me
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on November 03, 2009, 09:19:53 PM
Luit I Googled your area. If I lived near you I would walk the fields all day every day

sorry people I forgot to reduce the image size
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Paul T on November 03, 2009, 10:33:20 PM
Wow, Mark.  That puts is all in a different perspective doesn't it!!  :o :o
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on November 03, 2009, 11:27:27 PM
Dom, without straw the wind would blow most of the sandy soil covering the bulbs away !
Left on the Marks picture you see a piece of the North Sea, so we have very much wind here.
Hyacinths get more straw than tulips because they are less hardy as long they have not enough roots.

Mark, at the moment it's planting time so you may stay at home  ;D
I show one of your maps again with the road (red) where I live in the middle of the fields.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: cohan on November 05, 2009, 01:13:05 AM
fascinating..i was there (netherlands) many years ago on a school trip, and we cycled among some of those bulb fields (and in the dunes!), but didnt see all the variations...
for some reasons the blues and violets/lilacs of the hyacinths are the most surprising to see on a field scale (we have yellow fields here, so thts not so exotic) --give another meaning to 'colour field painting'!
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Gerard Oud on November 07, 2009, 08:32:46 AM
Besides a cover for the frost its saves a lot of work from weeding and the soil remains better at the right moisture.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 03, 2010, 10:11:15 PM
I hope you will like it when I add some pictures from time to time to this topic when I see something special.
Here some which I made of a Cyclamen coum field this week near Lisse, when I visited the Weekly Flower Show there.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on March 03, 2010, 11:03:44 PM
Luit,
a lovely view to see a field of Cyclamen.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 03, 2010, 11:15:04 PM
Luit, I think this deserves a new page. ( now rejoined!)

I don't believe I have ever seen such a sight of so many cyclamen.... what a delight!
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Joakim B on March 04, 2010, 08:50:30 PM
Very nice!
But does not people steal a plant or two? Maybe the farmers/growers live close and that stops people taking a plant or two?
Very nice to see this amount of cultivation.
Thanks for showing
Joakim
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on March 04, 2010, 08:56:22 PM
I was thinking yesterday I would like to have more coum in the garden ::)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 05, 2010, 06:35:22 PM
Luit, I think this deserves a new page.

I don't believe I have ever seen such a sight of so many cyclamen.... what a delight!

Maggi, I put my pictures in the already existing Bulbields 2008 Topic, as I had to dig rather deep to find this Topic.
And since there are so many newcomers on the Forum who might be interested in some older pictures I meant it the best place.

Or should I make a new series of pictures, which is almost like reading a book twice?  ::) ::) :-*

Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 05, 2010, 06:39:29 PM
Well, since you put it like that, Luit, I understand your thinking.... I'll join the two again!  :D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 05, 2010, 09:44:29 PM

Well, since you put it like that, Luit, I understand your thinking.... I'll join the two again!  :D
Sorry for being inconvenient, Maggi. I see you changed the subject title. Thanks  :-*

Quote
I'll join the two again
1 + 1 = 1  ;D

Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 05, 2010, 09:47:05 PM
Very nice!
But does not people steal a plant or two?
Joakim
Joakim, you're having bad thoughts of the people here  :-[ :-[ ..... ;D ;D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Joakim B on March 06, 2010, 03:07:14 PM
Well Luit not so much of others but thinking of myself some 25 years ago. So presume others my be as bad as me? I also see what people do in public plantings in Sweden with just a few bulbs so thought that this might be a problem but hopefully a small one.
Maybe people are used to have nice flowers in the field and let them stay there?

Nice to hera that people might not be as bad as (me) :-[ or as one sometime thinks.

Kind regards
Joakim
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 26, 2010, 10:01:21 PM
Yesterday we had a beautiful day with 20 C, so I made a cycling tour to the nearby Show Garden Keukenhof, Lisse. (See my report from last year)
The bulbfields are starting to get a bit green, but on my way I passed a Crocus field.

Crocus Flower Record
and in the background a field with Crocus Jeanne d'Arc.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on March 26, 2010, 10:29:56 PM
Luit,
breathtaking view on the crocus fields :o
Please show us more crocus ;)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 26, 2010, 11:03:55 PM
Please show us more crocus ;)
Which ones Armin?  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on March 26, 2010, 11:11:51 PM
All the goodies, Luit! ;) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 26, 2010, 11:31:53 PM
I apologise if you have already told us this, Luit, but I cannot recall..... how many bulbs would you estimate there to be in one of these colour sections in these stunning field (either by number or weight)?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: mark smyth on March 26, 2010, 11:35:48 PM
wow! Yes more Crocus, please
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 27, 2010, 11:00:42 PM
I apologise if you have already told us this, Luit, but I cannot recall..... how many bulbs would you estimate there to be in one of these colour sections in these stunning field (either by number or weight)?
Maggi, it's just a bit of a guess, but when the blue field is 2 hectares then they might have planted 1.5 millions of bulbs there.
Any more knowledgeable Dutch grower who read this, is most welcome to correct me. I never grew Crocus on a larger scale.
But I have some old reference books. Things might have changed by modern culture methods?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 27, 2010, 11:36:27 PM
Thank you , Luit.... my goodness.... that is a huge number of bulbs....
those [attach=1] girls are really kept busy, aren't they?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 28, 2010, 07:49:56 AM
Doing what...... baking crocus tart...?   ;D ;D ;D   
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2010, 02:19:55 PM
Doing what...... baking crocus tart...?   ;D ;D ;D   
Of course... is that not what all those bulbs are used for?  :o :-\
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 30, 2010, 01:58:33 PM
The fields here around the house are slowly showing some color, but yesterday morning I looked out of the window and saw more than 10 people picking narcissi  :(

Narcissus field
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 30, 2010, 02:04:17 PM
Luit, these people are STEALING the narcissi? :o  Just the flowers or the bulbs also?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 30, 2010, 11:10:04 PM
Luit, these people are STEALING the narcissi? :o  Just the flowers or the bulbs also?
Maggi, please not such bad thoughts of the people over-here  :o :o ;D

But the answer is no, because of coming Easter weekend my neighbor hopes to make some money for his flowers, so he hired a lot of foreign people to pick the flowers.
When you have a closer look at the more right side you see the picked bunches in the path.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Maggi Young on March 30, 2010, 11:27:27 PM
Oh, thank goodness for that... though I did think it odd that thieves would wear bright yellow jackets!  Not many flowers out in that field though, the one behind is better... have they picked all those  now too?
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 31, 2010, 06:57:57 PM
Maggi, in Holland are almost 1600 Ha Narcissus grown this year. Not all are suited as cutflower. For your information, on my neighbor field are growing the double flowering Dick Wilden. Of this variety there are this year about 24 Ha.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on March 31, 2010, 08:13:34 PM
Hi Luit,
nice to see the bulbfields near your home again. My first thought was workers picking virused narcissus ;)
Your professional neighbour is practising crop exchange.
Last year it was a nice pink of tulips now it will be yellow of narcissus.
What an annual nice change  8)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on March 31, 2010, 10:57:27 PM
Last year it was a nice pink of tulips now it will be yellow of narcissus.
Today the whole brigade of people were back for picking flowers.
If they come once again there will be not much yellow left Armin :(
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Armin on April 02, 2010, 11:05:40 PM
Luit,
I think that's "business before pleasure"  ::)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on August 04, 2010, 04:49:13 PM
An Eco-friendly way to keep the bulb fields healthy is to inundate. One of my neighbors has flooded one of his fields. I made this week some pictures from behind our house and you see a lot of geese. No problem you think, but in the meantime there are already more than 100 and they are very noisy, by day AND by night ::) ::) ::)
And they get company of a  flock of little sterns, which make almost as much noise as the geese ??? ::)

On the first picture (left in front) are some young geese of a family living in our canal and interestingly they don’t mix up with the whole flock.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: ArnoldT on August 04, 2010, 05:03:12 PM
Luit:

Interesting, the bulbs are removed and fields are then flooded to kill any pests.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Ezeiza on August 05, 2010, 12:53:31 AM
Well, Arnold, not any pests, specifically nematodes. This is the standard method used in Holland.
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lvandelft on September 01, 2010, 10:57:32 PM
Some weeks ago I saw a field with flowering Tigridia. They were fully open then, but I had no camera with me.
Two weeks ago I made this picture, but the flowers werenot open because of lack of sun.
So I wanted to go there again on a real sunny day for a better picture, but 70 mm of rain within few hours last week and strong wind afterwards did not leave many flowers there. When the weather stays nice for a week or so they will flower again, but I better show now what I have :)
Title: Re: Bulbfields in the Netherlands
Post by: Lesley Cox on September 01, 2010, 11:48:00 PM
Golly, when they're fully open they'd be spectacular, wall to wall colour. 8)
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