16/03/2014
Tulip Fields in Lisse (The Netherlands)
A vast patchwork of kaleidoscopic color, Holland's tulip fields are clearly nothing to be sneezed at.
From the air, it looks as though a giant toddler armed with a box of super-sized crayons has been let loose on the Dutch countryside–if the lines weren't quite so perfect.
The vibrant blue, red, pink and yellow flowers sprawl as far as the eye can see in Lisse, where farmers hope to make huge profits selling them to florists and supermarkets around the world.
The tulip season begins in March and lasts until August with several shows held across the country, but the flowers are undoubtedly at their most spectacular during April.
The cultivation of flower bulbs began more than 400 years ago. Today Holland produces more than nine billion bulbs every year, of which two thirds are exported overseas. Evenly distributed, this number would allow for almost two flower bulbs for every person on the planet.
