The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
» World-famous tulip garden reopens to visitors,
Finally, after bleak winter months of a coronavirus lockdown, springtime shoots of hope emerged last week as restrictions were relaxed at a Dutch flower garden and other public venues.
Under a government-approved pilot plan, the world-famous Keukenhof garden opened Friday to let a few thousand people tiptoe through the 7 million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and myriad of other flowers handplanted throughout its manicured lawns by a small army of gardeners.
A maximum of 5,000 visitors were allowed into the garden if they could show proof that they had just tested negative for COVID-19.
Minke Kleinen, who visited with her friend Ilse van Egten, said it felt like their “first legal day out.” The friends took rapid tests before setting off and got their negative results by email as they drove.
“It feels strange that we can stand next to one another,” said Van Egten, giving Kleinen a quick hug. “It’s nice!”
The Keukenhof lost an entire season last year to the pandemic, and its scheduled March 20 opening this year
never happened.
The limited opening — six days spread over two weeks in April — is welcome to the 40 gardeners who spend months preparing for the season. In a normal year, the garden the size of 50 soccer fields can accommodate 10 times as many visitors each day.
On Friday, small groups were scattered around the lawns. You could get a plate
of poffertjes — a Dutch treat of tiny pancakes covered in icing sugar — without having to wait in a long line.
The Dutch government announced last week that hundreds of public venues would be allowed to reopen under strict conditions to evaluate whether rapid testing can safely help the country ease restrictions amid rising levels of vaccinations and warmer
weather.
Under the scheme, visitors to the Keukenhof — as well as museums, zoos and other venues — are allowed entry if they order a ticket online and get a negative virus test within 40 hours of their visit. All virus tests are free, and a result is emailed within an hour to the tested person. That code, in turn, can be scanned at venues.