Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Dutch Spring Fling, Anyone?

As you probably know the US garden bloggers held their first Spring Fling last year in Austin, Texas. This year they are having another one in Chicago. But what are we having, the European garden bloggers? So far, nothing and that got me thinking, an activity I seldom indulge in as it gives me a splitting headache. ;-) However, I have come up with a cunning plan; why don't we have a Dutch Spring Fling this year in either late April/ early May?

We could visit gorgeous gardens like the world famous Keukenhof, where literally millions of bulbs are in flower every year.
Close by is the beautiful old town of Leyden with a great botanical garden, the Hortus Botanicus, stunningly beautiful old city centre,
we could do a tour of the Dutch hofjes ( old houses grouped around a central garden, very secluded from the outside world),
Hofje

visit the market, perhaps even a museum? Just thinking out loud here.

And then we could also visit Palace Het Loo,
both the palace itself and its breathtakingly beautiful gardens, pop round for a visit at Piet Oudolfs private garden and nursery
and also go to one of the best museums in the world; the Kröller-Müller museum where they have a vast collection of sculptures in the garden and a world renowned collection of scrumptious paintings by Vincent van Gogh. The museum itself is situated in National Park De HogeVeluwe, a place of outstanding natural beauty. On a fine day we could even hop on a free white bike and explore the park that way.
I was thinking of a 4 day garden and culture tour of the Netherlands from Friday to Monday. I know of an organisation that would be willing to organize it all for us and at a reasonable price too. But for prices to be reasonable we have to have at least 20 participants. So now the 64,000 dollar question: who would like to come to a Dutch Spring Fling this year; to meet lots of fellow garden bloggers, visit great gardens, indulge in a bit of culture and have oodles of fun?

If you would like to come and join in the Dutch Spring Fling, let me know before the 25th of this month. You can contact me via e-mail. My e-mail address you can find in my profile (on the left). If there are enough people (at least 20) seriously interested, I'll get the ball rolling and will provide you with all relevant information asap.

37 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Oh gosh this sounds like so much fun. Wish I could be there.

Anonymous said...

Sounds almost like some of the stuff I did LAST spring! I won't make it this year. Except Hortus Botanicus in Leyden was closed when we were there, so we only got to walk around the park.

Gail said...

I would sign up, too! It sounds like a delicious 4 days. gail word ver is litter~~any new babies?

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

OK, that is really weird--just this morning in the shower (this is where most of my ideas come to me, without me even trying!) I thought, wow! Wouldn't it be AWESOME if one of my European* blogging friends decided to host a fling over there? That would give me a great excuse to go. But your timing wouldn't work for me; it would need to be fall or NEXT spring. :)
*OK, to be honest I thought "German" specifically, not "European," but that's because I haven't been in Germany in 20 years and I really want to see the Lunenburg Heath (blooms in fall) and maybe catch up with a few relatives... BUT I'd come to a spring fling in Holland, oh yes, I would. Just not this May. :(

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Oh to see all of those tulips in bloom! That would be so delightful!
Hope you can get enough interest to do this.

Anonymous said...

I hope you can make it work for you all -- perhaps we Canadians should try to arrange a Fling here as well. :) Something to think about. Good luck -- I sure would love to see those fields of tulips!

Unknown said...

A horticultural dream!

Green thumb said...

I wish you all the best.
The idea is awesome and should be an instant hit with fellow European bloggers.
Thanks to this idea of yours I got to see some very interesting pictures of your very beautiful country.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Forgot to mention, I absolutely adored the Kröller-Müller museum and am forever grateful that I "dragged" my traveling companion there with me! :) A Van Gogh poster I bought there (and one they gave me free!) hang on my walls today. We even rode those white bicycles around the place. And, that blue trowel sculpture by by Claes Oldenburg? There's a similar red trowel sculpture by him at Meijer Gardens in western Michigan! :)

Cheryl said...

Hi Yolanda....what a wonderful idea....I do not have anybody to take care of my hundreds of seedlings in the greenhouse, otherwise I would definately have been interested. I am sure you will get a good response to this......look forward to hearing how it goes.....

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

That sounds wonderful! I've never been to The Netherlands in May. (I've visited in March and in October.) Someday I'll make it there during Tulip time. It looks so beautiful.

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

I love everything about it. Are you serious?

Tyra

Victoria Summerley said...

It's a fantastic idea. I'd love to come if I can sort time off/childcare. I visited Keukenhof in May once and it was so hot, I got sunburnt. Keep me in the loop!

Wendy said...

Sounds absolutely wonderful. One day......
You've posted such beautiful pics and interesting bits of history.
Thank you for sharing.

VP said...

Yolanda - I would love to come! Keukenhof has been on my list for ages and NAH isn't interested in going at all.

However, I'm singing at Stourhead on May 9th and Moonwalking in London on the 16th May, so would have to avoid those weekends.

I suspect you'd have no problem in getting 20 people interested in going, it's availability that will be the real challenge!

Petunia's Gardener said...

What a spot for a spring fling! I couldn't plan for it this year, but maybe some future year. We just had our first gathering of Seattle area garden bloggers. 9 of us made it. What fun! It is nice to actually meet the person behind the blog. Hope it works out for you!

Unknown said...

I'd LOVE to come to your spring fling, Yolanda, as long as it included a trip to see Bliss and the Bliss team, of course....

Annie in Austin said...

I'll bet you will start something wonderful, Yolanda, and the Dutch Spring Fling becomes a reality. Your proposed lineup of museums, gardens and palaces sounds fabulous!

Wish that I could go! And I may as well also wish to win the lottery, be 2 inches taller and be a lot thinner because all those wishes have the same chance of happening, LOL.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

(It's almost 10 PM in Austin and a big storm is passing through - thunder, wind & heavy downpour.)

Chookie said...

Oh, Yolanda, what a wonderful idea. It's a pity that the airfare is so much from Australia to The Netherlands! I am in no position to come, but if you do have enough guests to run it, please take lots of pictures!

Garden Cats + Crafts said...

Dear Yolanda, what a great idea!
Ich würde sooo gern kommen, war jetzt allerdings 4 Monate! krank und weiß leider noch nicht, wie ich in diesem Jahr Urlaubstage nehmen kann. Muss erst nächsten Montag endlich wieder ins Büro. Gibt es denn schon einen Termin? Klingt ja alles so verlockend, würde so gern kommen in Euer wunderschönes Gartenland.

Kann Dir also keine Zusage bis zum 25.2. geben, da ich nicht gleich mit Urlaubsanfragen kommen mag.

Liebe Grüße von einer traurigen Birgit

Shirley said...

Hi again Yolanda :-)

Well my dear, I do know you will be the hostess with the mostess!! You’ve got a great itinerary there and Piet’s Garden and Nursery would be the main event for me as you know!

I will give it serious thought, it’s not the best time of year for me but it would be... absolutely fabulous!!!

Anonymous said...

Before I die, I would like to visit the low countries in the spring. But I think the spring experience would be better if I arrived and settled in in early fall. What's spring without experiencing the winter before it?

Anonymous said...

You may even tempt some Americans over to the Netherlands with that fabulous itinerary, YE. It's a great idea to host a European Spring Fling, and I'm eager to hear how it all turns out. Way to go!

Anonymous said...

YE: If not this year then next? I would consider next year or sometime in the future. I have always wanted to go to Keukenhof.

emmat said...

I would absolutely love to do this! my only problem is that I am teaching every monday evening at City university, a course on historic parks and gardens of London! But as long as I'm back in time for that.... or maybe we will organise it for a bank holiday? OH I REALLY WANT TO COME

Lori said...

Man, if I could afford plane tickets, I'd go to your Dutch Spring Fling in a heartbeat! I love the Netherlands and I haven't visited in years, much less in the spring. If you guys all make it happen, be sure to take lots and lots of pictures for those of us who would be there if we could!

Anonymous said...

nou nou, via Rosa beer kom ik zomaar op je blog terecht en ik moet zeggen: Ben zwaar onder de indruk...wat een weelde...en dat vlakbij waar ik woon...oud-beijerland....ik kom zeker vaker kijken!!

Libby said...

What a wonderful idea, but sadly my finances won't allow. I hope it is a huge success!

Anonymous said...

Oh YE, that would be the best best best! I would love to attend both the Euro and the Chicago version. You make a mouth watering sales pitch with those gardens and even Piet! I do hope it happens for you all. We will toast to you while in Chicago. :-)
Frances

Poppins said...

So many interesting and lovely gardens and places! And what a great idea about a gardening tour. I would love to join but I have to think about it.
love
Poppins

Barbara said...

A wonderful idea, Yolanda! I'd like to join if it wasn't this year. I do not have holiday at school in May. But after summerholiday I stop working and then...let's go! Perhaps you organize it again next Spring?

Ewa said...

Oh Yolanda! that is brilliant idea! I was just looking for garden tours in England in the spring!
I love the idea! I will come.
Will email you :)
Greetings!
Ewa

Karin said...

Ohh sounds like a perfect thing! Would be so much fun but for this year I have to pass (April too soon and too many plans already). Gorgeous pics Yolanda! Have a happy Valentine's day!

Kram Karin

Naturegirl said...

Yolanda what a dream that would be to tour with our blogging garden community! Sure hope you get enough Europeon bloggers interested!
I'll drool over the photos you post after but today I am drooling over that second image with all the purple colors!! WOW!!!!!!!!

em said...

i would love to come. i especially want to see the tulips and piet's garden. about how much would it cost? i think airfare from nyc could be cheap if enough in advance... please let me know more. thanks.

Anonymous said...

Wow wow wow! I wish I could be there too!!

Kylee Baumle said...

Oh how I would LOVE to attend this! However, finances won't allow it. :-( I hope you will get enough to do it and will share the Fling in pics!

You should come for this year's Spring Fling in Chicago. You know...research! Of course, then we that are attending would get to meet you, too! :-)