The gardens of Keukenhof are one of the floral wonders of the world, and nothing can quite convey their exhilarating beauty. Located a little less than an hour from Amsterdam, they are laid out on the estate of Keukenhof Castle, which was built in 1641 and later surrounded by a vast park in the English landscape style in 1857. The genesis of the spring extravaganza here began in 1949, when a group of 20 leading flower-bulb growers and exporters devised a plan to use the estate as a showcase. The park debuted in 1950 and was an instant success. The 2018 season was the 69th edition of Keukenhof, with “Romance in Flowers” as its theme.