As soon as spring hits in the Netherlands I think about flowers. Flowers are everywhere in Holland. We have flower markets, flowers decorate window boxes on homes, and walkable, bikeable flower gardens are always within reach.
If we were back home, now is the time when we’d buy our tickets to the most famous flower garden park in the Netherlands (and maybe the world), Keukenhof. The park opens for a limited time each year (from March 20 to May 11 in 2025 and features 7 million spring-flowering bulbs and visual art from 25 artists. Millions of tourists visit to walk, boat, or bicycle around the 79 acres of paths featuring tulips, hyacinths, orchids, chrysanthemums and 1,500+ other bright flower varieties that welcome spring. Even the drive to Keukenhof is gorgeous, with miles and miles of flower fields offering views of glorious petals disappearing into the horizon.
Nothing quite compares to the flowers of Keukenhof or the flower culture of the Netherlands, but there are still amazing places and ways to celebrate the arrival of spring with flowers here in the U.S.
1. Visit a Tulip Festival
Internationally, tulips are recognized for signalling the start of spring. While they’re not the national flower of the Netherlands (the honor belongs to the daisy) and the Netherlands has a robust flower culture beyond the tulip, they’re still a gorgeous bulb flower that never fails to make us happy at this time of year.
Locally, we have Tulip Fest in New Carlisle, Indiana. Tulip Fest (photo above from Visit South Bend website) is a single day event hosted by Field to Vase U-Pick Flowers with $2 upick tulips, 50 cent daffodils, and $1 admission! And within our region, we can enjoy Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan.
If you’re not near us, don’t worry. There are Nationally Recognized Tulip Festivals all over the country that have wonderful flowers to view. Most of these are for flower viewing, not picking, but you can look up local u-pick farms and build your own beautiful bouquet, which leads us to our next recommendation….
2. Have a Floral Arrangement Party
Another way to bring people together in spring and summer is with a flower arrangement party. Floral arrangement parties provide a screen-free afternoon or evening filled with flowers and delightful company.
What’s a Flower Arrangement Party?
Flower arrangement parties are events where people bring flowers to share with a group so everyone can build their own unique bouquets. Each guest brings bouquets to share (usually two) along with their own vase. Friends put their bouquets on a shared table and create new arrangements from the collection of flowers.
At the end of the event, they take home their new floral arrangement in their own vase.
What You Need for a Flower Arranging Party
These gatherings are easy to host inside our outside - depending on the weather. And because your guests are helping to supply the flowers, it can be a low cost party as well. Here’s what we recommend having on hand.
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A table (the bigger the better). We recommend covering the table with a waterproof tablecloth.
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A few large vases (or buckets of water) where guests can place their shared bouquets at the center of the table
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Tools like scissors or shears to clip flower steps to the desired height
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A trash can for cut leaves, stems, etc.
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1-2 bouquets from you (the rest will be provided by your guests!)
Many hosts also have floral foam, twine, decorative ribbons, and other items on hand, but those aren’t required, so don’t let them stop you from having your first floral arranging party! Great things can still happen on a budget!
Food and Treats
As we said above, you don’t have to have snacks on hand to throw a successful party, but they are a nice way to make the event more special.
To me, nothing says “flower arranging” more than a refreshing lemonade or iced/hot tea. Add in a fresh tart, cheesecake, or lemon bar with No-Bake Stroopwafel Pie Crust, or simply offer stroopwafel cookies fresh from a well-themed tulip tin can!
How Are You Celebrating Spring Flowers?
We’d love to know what you’re planting in your gardens, see pictures of flower parks you visit, or videos of your own flower party bouquets! Let us know how you’re celebrating spring flowers on social media.