How beautiful to look at spring on the other side of the world.
With more than 10,000 hectares devoted to the cultivation of these delicate flowers, the Dutch landscape in May is a kaleidoscope of giddy colors as the tulips burst into life.
The bulbs were planted in late October and early November, and these colorful creations are now ready to be picked and sold as bunches of cut flowers in florist shops and supermarkets.
More than three billion tulips are grown each year and two-thirds of the vibrant blooms are exported, mostly to the U.S. and Germany .
In the first picture, an extraordinary 60 million tulips can be seen coming into flower.
Their dazzling colours are thanks to the years in the 17th century when Tulipmania swept the globe and the most eye-catching specimens changed hands for a small fortune.
But like a rainbow, this colourful landscape is a short-lived phenomenon.
When the flowers are gone, the land will be cultivated for a rather more mundane crop of vegetables.
Field of Tulips - rows & rows of color. 
Rows of color - tulips galore in Holland. (Information in this post provided by Kyana McJunkins of Mayesh Wholesale)
Awesome photos!!!
Did you ever read The Black Tulip, by Alexander Dumas? (Same guy who wrote The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo) Fascinating mystery/adventure story, full of intrigue, deceit and murder. All engendered by the announcement of a huge prize for the person who can create the first black tulip.