H.E. Shefali Razdan Duggal and Keukenhof gardeners planted flower bulbs at the residence in The Hague. Representatives of Royal Athos also rolled up their sleeves. Here, the long-standing ties between the Dutch flower sector and the United States were highlighted. 

The United States is important to the Netherlands and the flower sector. It is the largest export partner for flower bulbs and plants in the Netherlands. With millions of flower bulbs being on their way to the USA, to be grown into tulips for the US markets, there is no stronger symbol for the integrated supply chain that the USA and the Netherlands have jointly created. The decades old pre-clearance program, based on trust between the nations, is a solid cornerstone under our trading relations. But there is more.  

The planting of the bulbs at the residence of the ambassador of the United States is also a tribute to the countless American visitors to Keukenhof. Fourteen percent of the visitors, who pass through the entrance of Keukenhof each year, are from the United States. 

Flower exhibition Keukenhof will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2024. The spring garden is an initiative of several flower bulb growers and exporters who wanted to create a show garden for their products. Since its opening in 1950, Keukenhof has become a global known name. Meanwhile, more than a million people from all over the world visit the flower exhibition. Keukenhof thus makes a major contribution to the tourism and flower sector in the Netherlands. 

The Keukenhof gardeners will now continue in their own park. There, as many as 7 million bulbs will be planted in the coming weeks, one by one by hand. 

In 2024, Keukenhof will be open from March 21 through May 12.