Official Opening Keukenhof 2013 to be Performed by Henk Kamp, Minister of Economic Affairs

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Mar 21, 2013, 05:26 ET

LISSE, the Netherlands, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Mr. Henk Kamp, minister of Economic Affairs, performed the official opening of the 64^th edition of the Keukenhof International Flower Exhibition.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130321/602074 )

The Keukenhof theme for 2013 is "United Kingdom -Land of Great Gardens". Keukenhof will be focusing on the United Kingdom in a colourful way, the country being an important partner both in terms of flower bulb export as well as tourism. The country also offers an enormous variety of different gardens and landscapes. What's more, Keukenhof itself was originally designed as an English landscape garden.

With Naomi van As he conducted the opening. Naomi van As won the women's hockey gold medal at the Olympic Games in London. The successful concert pianist Wibi Soerjadi add musical lustre to the afternoon by playing a British repertoire.

The theme will feature in numerous events and exhibitions, including in the pavilions Highlights during this year include the exhibition "My Great Garden", the indoor flower shows in a typically British environment and the flower mosaic depicting Big Ben and Tower Bridge.

The Juliana Pavilion is joining forces with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to stage a beautiful exhibition about English gardens, where you will find some useful tips for your own garden. Earlier that day Mrs. Elizabeth Banks, President of the RHS, opens officially the exhibition "My Great Garden".

The most popular draw at Keukenhof in 2013 is sure to be the flower bulb mosaic of the Big Ben and Tower Bridge. His Excellency Mr Arkwright, ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland joined forces with Keukenhof to add the final touches to the flower bulb mosaic of the Big Ben and Tower Bridge. The mosaic measures 13 by 22 metres and has been created from almost 60,000 flower bulbs. Its colourful splendour will reveal itself in all its floral glory in the spring of 2013.

Keukenhof will be opening its gates to the public for the 64^th time on Thursday, 21 March 2013. When the gates close eight weeks later at 20 May 2013, once again many guests from all over the world will have visited Keukenhof.

http://www.keukenhof.nl.

SOURCE Keukenhof