Amsterdamse Bos

Modernist principles were used to create a large forest (bos) park near Amsterdam. The plan, which can be viewed as an abstract painting, was the work of two architects (C van Esteren and J H Mulder), influenced by a biologist (Dr J P Thijsse) on the public works committee which controlled the project. Van Esteren was a president of CIAM, the International Congress of Modern Architecture. The land on which the park was created had been reclaimed from the sea. This made ecological considerations important. The Bos Park was the first major project on which an ecological approach was used. J P Thijsse used native plants to make a flower garden in Amstelveen on the edge of the Bos Park. In the main park, the 'form follows function' principle was used in several ways: native plants assisted the process of land reclamation; lakes, ponds, streams and ditches were part of the land drainage system; the form of the spaces was led by their use for a wide range of recreational activities. The plan therefore contains biological patterns, resulting from hydrological and ecological processes, and artificial patterns which derive from functional activities (rowing, sport, walking, cycling etc.). Visitors can hire bicycles at the main entrance from Van Nijenrodeweg, marked by an arrow on the accompanying plan.











from: gardenvisit.com

Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof , also known as the Garden of Europe is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, there are approximately 7,000,000 (seven million) flower bulbs planted annually at the park.

Keukenhof is located in South Holland between the towns of Hillegom and Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. It is accessible by bus from the stations of Haarlem or Leiden. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek).

The flower garden was the idea in 1949 of the then-mayor of Lisse, a small town south of Amsterdam. The idea was to have a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids which will help the Netherlands as it is the world's largest exporter of flowers. Keukenhof has been the world's largest flower garden for over fifty years.

Keukenhof is open annually from the last week of March to mid-May. The best time to view the tulips is around mid-April, depending on the weather. In 2008 the Keukenhof will be open from March 20 to May 18.

credited from wikipedia.org