Hyacinth Fields (around Lisse)

The hyacinth fields around Lisse are an early highlight of the spring flower season in the Bollenstreek, the bulb region on the coast of South Holland. Hyacinths bloom slightly earlier than tulips, usually from late March into mid-April, and they cover the fields in bands of purple, pink, white, blue and yellow. The visual effect is striking, but what many visitors remember most is the scent, which is rich, sweet and so strong that it carries across the road and into the car windows.

The hyacinth came to the Netherlands from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia, and it was cultivated in Dutch gardens from the sixteenth century. In the eighteenth century, hyacinths became a craze, particularly around Haarlem, and breeders developed hundreds of varieties with double flowers and rich colours. Some fetched very high prices, and a specialised trade grew up, including special glass vases made to grow the bulbs in water indoors. The industry later shifted to the sandy soils near Lisse and Hillegom, which drain well and suit bulbs, and it remains a major export business.

As with tulips, the fields are for growing bulbs and not for cutting flowers. The bulbs are planted in autumn, flower in spring and are lifted in summer, and the flower heads may be cut off soon after they show colour so that the energy goes into the bulb. Fields are rotated so that the same crop does not grow in the same place year after year. This agricultural reality explains why the display is short and why visitors are asked to stay out of the plots.

The best way to see the fields is by bicycle or on foot along the small roads and paths that cross the area. Early in the morning the fields are quiet and the air is full of scent, and the soft light is ideal for photography. If you want to see hyacinths up close, the gardens at Keukenhof have large displays in the early weeks of the season, and the flowers are labelled with their names. The Black Tulip Museum in Lisse tells more about the industry.

The fields suit couples, photographers and anyone who loves flowers. Check the bloom status before you plan a trip, as it varies with the weather, and dress for wind and showers. Respect the fields, which are private property, and do not pick flowers or step among the rows.