Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizersgracht. This is the side that every tourist knows and remembers about Amsterdam: the romantic canals, dotted with houseboats, lined with trees and quaint historic houses once built and owned by the old merchant families.
These townhouses appear to have no gardens, as their front entrances are directly on the street or footpath. But behind these sober facades there is a world of secret garden gems, completely hidden from view behind the terraced buildings.
From Coffee to Silk: Oversea Trade Made Amsterdam and its Merchants Rich
Most of these elegant urban villas date back to the 17th century. These were the golden days of Amsterdam when merchants made fortunes with the Dutch East India Company.
Spices and coffee, silk and china were among the goods that sailing ships brought back from the colonies to the voracious markets in Europe. The merchants' wealth fed an elegant lifestyle, mirrored by their houses and gardens.
Garden Fashions: Baroque Formal Gardens and Japanese Zen Minimalism
While some of these gardens still retain their classic appearance, others have changed over time and show a more contemporary design. Japanese gardens suit the small spaces behind the townhouses just as well as the trimmed hedges and ornamental plants and sculptures of the old days. Still other garden lovers turned their gardens into colourful oases full of flowers in bloom.
The diversity of garden styles makes it even more interesting to visit the hidden city greens. Since 1996 the Open Garden Days invite visitors to explore gardens that are inaccessible for most of the year. These are private gardens. The event also encourages garden enthusiasts to visit some museums with interesting gardens, which are open to the public all year round.
Tickets and Times of Open Tuinen Dagen Amsterdam – Open Garden Days in June 2009
In 2009 the green weekend takes place from June 19 to 21. Each day the gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. As they are located all over the city, it is a good idea to rent a bicycle for the day. It's a pleasant and easy way to get from one garden to the next. The entire route is about 10 kilmometers long (about 6.2 miles). To cross canals or cover longer distances a watertaxi can be used as well.
Tickets for the Open Tuinen Dagen cost 15 Euro (about 20 US$). They include access to all gardens and use of the watertaxi. Access for disabled people is not always possible, as passages might be narrow and include stairs.
Amsterdam's Uitburo ticketshop on Leidseplein Square sells vouchers, which can be converted into a passe-partouts at the Bijbels Museum (Biblical Museum, Herengracht 366-368), Huis Marseille (Museum of Photography, Keizersgracht 401), Museum van Loon (Keizersgracht 672) and Museum Willet-Holthuysen (Herengracht 605). These are also the also the starting points for optional guided tours, and further information and details on each of the open gardens is provided there.
More information: Open Garden Days - Open Tuinen Dagen
Read more about destinations for garden lovers:
- A Visit to Chelsea Physic Garden - London's Oldest Botanic Is a Green Gem by the Thames
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