I recently was invited by the Netherlands Board of Tourism and the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center to travel to Holland to see the glory of their flowers in spring.

I was not disappointed! Mile after mile of tulip fields! The eughty acre bulb display gardens at Keukenhof! It was a great trip. You’ll be planning your spring vacation for when you see my photos.

Having been there, I can also recommend some places to stay, guides and restaurants.

We stayed most nights at The Grand Hotel in Amsterdam. It is where their Queen Beatrix was married! Pricey…but a great spa and excellent free breakfast make it worth considering.

We stayed one night in a fun bed and breakfast near the northern coast. If you go to Lytshuis Zilver be sure to see the room with the fake “one hole’er” where I spent the night. You can get further B&B information from Bed and Breakfast Netherlands.

We were treated to a guided garden tour by Andre’Ancion, who has special relationships with private homes who have spectacular gardens. His website is in Dutch but he speaks excellent English and you can email your requests to him.

Our group enjoyed fantastic meals. Two in particular stand out. De Vijf Sinnen (The Five Senses), in Weidum, exemplified its name: delicious food presented beautifully. The chef, Kevin Wilks, is English and a joy to watch. We also dined at De Kas, in Amsterdam. The restaurant is in the middle of a greenhouse and garden, the produce of which is on the menu each night. Fine and delicate food!

Planning a trip to Holland is a breeze. The Netherlands Board of Tourism (see the flowers!) provides plenty of help and suggestions. The Dutch are friendly, the landscapes are familiar to any of us gardening in the South and the travel is comfortable.