From the moment the first tulip was planted in Dutch soil, in 1593, the Netherlands has been in extravagant bloom and the Dutch have been in thrall to flowers, inventing a whole horticultural industry and turning their lowland fields into a blanket of blooms. The flowers reach their climax, of course, in April and May, when Holland offers Europe's quintessential spring drive. For anyone who wants to see nature in all its glory and smell the roses—or in this case the tulips, hyacinths, narcissi, and daffodils—western Holland is the prime place to be. And the Dutch, as practical as they are aesthetic, have made certain that visitors won't miss a single bloom.

Between Haarlem and Leiden stretches a 20-mile strip of land known as the Bollenstreek ("Bulb District," sometimes called the bloemstreek, or flower district) This is Holland's bulb belt, home of the world-famous Dutch tulip fields.

These lowlands slung along the edge of the North Sea, spread across the provinces of Noord Holland (North Holland) and Zuid Holland (South Holland) just west and southwest of Amsterdam, are carpeted with mile upon mile of fields of gladioli, hyacinths, lilies, narcissi, daffodils, crocuses, irises, dahlias—and, of course, the mighty mighty tulip.

When to see Dutch tulips

The earliest blooms burst into color in January, and the floral show doesn't slow down until the late-blooming lilies make their exit near the end of May.

The core season lasts just two months: from the third week or March to the third week of May.

Mid-April is the prime time of the tulip, centered around a Flower Parade in Keukenhof usually on the third Saturday in April