Imagine rows and rows of the most colorful and beautiful flowers, all lined up next to each other. A vibrant rainbow that I wish you could smell through all of these photos. Now imagine the freedom of taking as many photos as you want and in the meantime supporting a small business. That’s exactly what Fam Flower Farm stands for!
Beautifully curated dahlia fields, a ton of props that are free to use and plenty of time to take as many photos as you want. The dahlias put on a show all the way through Summer and at the start of Autumn. They come in a wide range of colors, from bright and vibrant to soft and pastel.
Fam Flower Farm – A Dahlia Farm in The Netherlands
The start of Spring always brings a certain extra amount of joy for me. Trees are starting to turn green again and every week a new flower pops up and lights up the neighborhood. After months of nature looking dead you can see signs of new life popping up all over.
There are a ton of flower fields that you can already visit during spring such as tulip fields, narcissus fields, peony fields etc… But there’s one beautiful type of flower that you’ll have to wait for just a little bit longer. But trust me, the colorful dahlias are certainly worth the wait!
The flower bulb region is mostly known for its enormous tulip fields that bloom in April and of course the world famous Keukenhof. But what not many people know is that there are also local farmers in this region that have a dahlia farm.
A little Dahlia history
The Dahlia is the national flower of Mexico and in total there are over 42 different species and thousands different types. Their tubers (bulbs) were initially used as food crops by the Aztecs but after the Spanish Conquest this custom pretty much died out. They tried implementing this custom in Europe as well but that idea pretty much failed before it even started. They’re supposed to taste like a mix between potatoes and radishes but I can’t confirm that for you. 😛
Dahlias are one of the most beloved summer flowers and are often seen at flower market’s and used in wedding arrangements. People love using dahlia’s at their wedding because of their beautiful symbolism: During the Victorian era, dahlias were a symbol of commitment and an everlasting union. They are also used to represent inner strength, creativity, and elegance.
Another interesting fact is that dahlia’s can come in pretty much every colour except for one! There are no blue dahlias! A couple attempts have been made and some creations look a little blueish but no one every truly succeeded.
Why you should visit Fam Flower Farm 🌺
Fam Flower Farm is a Dutch company founded by two high school friends Marlies and Linda who both married a flower grower. They joined forces by combining both of their family flower farms together and together they created a wonderful business. They successfully sold dahlia tubers and tulip bulbs all over the world but it wasn’t until they joined Instagram that things really started picking up!
Through social media they can be in direct contact with their customers and it’s super easy to ask them any questions you have in regards to planting their tulip bulbs or dahlia tubers. Every year they also organize visiting weeks where they offer selected dates and time slots to visit their tulip or dahlia fields.
At Fam Flower Farm they grow over 180 different varieties but they specialize in exclusive dahlias.
This year of course it’s not possible to make an appointment to visit the tulip fields due to Covid-19 but keep an eye out on their website towards the end of the summer. The visiting days for the dahlia fields are from the end of August until mid September and are already available for reservation by clicking here.
Dahlia Season in the Netherlands
Experiencing the dahlia fields at a dahlia farm in the Netherlands is a wonderful summer alternative to the tulip crazy that goes on during spring. Dahlias bloom during the summer and because they’re a native Mexican flower they simply can not survive during a harsh winter.
Dahlias aren’t usually grown to be cut and sold. Most of the time the dahlia growers simply produce and sell the tubers.
How they grow dahlias
Dahlia season actually starts in early spring when the family pots up dahlia tubers in a greenhouse. After these potted tubers start sprouting they take leaf cuttings. These are put into soil where they’ll start rooting. When these cuttings have grown big enough they are planted into the ground where they’ll grow into a beautiful dahlia but also produce more tubers.
The dahlias are planted according to type and colour so that no mistakes can be made when tubers are sold.
After their blooming period all of the dahlias fields are mowed. So yes, all of those beautiful flowers get cut and all that remains are the green sprouts. But now all of the plants energy goes into growing the tuber and after another 1 to 2 months it’s ready to be taken out of the ground.
So usually in late October and mid November these tubers get cleaned, dried and stored for winter so that by the following spring season they can be delivered to your doorstep.
Advice if you want to grow your own dahlias
Growing your own dahlias turns out to be a lot easier than you would think. Simply buy a couple of tubers from the type of dahlia that you love the most, plant them in your garden and watch them turn into a beautiful dahlia during summer.
You can also cut a few flowers to put in a vase in your house or to give to a friend or family member.
How to reach Fam Flower Farm
Their flower farm is located in Noordwijkerhout, near the Keukenhof in Lisse. But to prevent people from visiting their flower fields without permission they only give you the exact location of the dahlia field a week before your visit.
Since it’s a pretty specific location and all of these fields are outside of the city centers it’s best to come by car.
However another option is to combine your visit to the dahlia farm with a bicycle ride in the beautiful bulb region. There are plenty of places where you can rent a bike near Noordwijkerhout.
Taking photos in a dahlia field – what to expect
What makes it extra fun to take photos at the dahlia fields of Fam Flower Farm is that they offer a wide variety of props. There’s a beautiful bicycle, a swing, there’s even a wooden platform in front of the fields that if you stand on it will give you the effect of a drone photo.
Marlies and Linda will also be present during your visit and will help you where necessary. They offered to cut a few dahlias to create a bouquet as an extra photography prop.
The different varieties of dahlias are placed close to each other but there are also rows placed further from each other, forming a wider path where you can walk through.
When visiting flower fields and when taking photos it’s always important to ask if you’re allowed to walk in between them. In this case I specifically asked Marlies and Linda if it was allright and since most dahlias aren’t cut to be sold it was perfectly fine.
Where to stay near the dahlia fields
I hope you’ll have as much fun as I did when visiting the dahlia fields of Fam Flower Farm! If you have any additional questions simply drop them in the comment section below!
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Charlotte Lint is the founder of Charlies Wanderings.
Charlotte has traveled all over the world and is based in Belgium where she also owns her very own dental practice.
She is an expert on writing efficient travel guides and finding unique places to stay.
Every month she helps over 134.000 people discover the most beautiful places in the world through her detailed travel guides.
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