The almond blossom has been eclipsed by another species more typical of the Dutch fields than of Madrid: the tulip. This month we can see its petals in all their splendor in the Royal Botanical Garden, and now also in front of the Royal Palace, in the Plaza de Oriente.
The new Dutch garden in the center
Last April 7, as a symbol of gratitude for her stay in Spain, Princess Amalia of Orange, heiress to the Dutch throne, inaugurated in Madrid a garden with more than 7,000 white and orange tulips, colors associated with Dutch royalty. It is just behind the Royal Theater, and has a commemorative plaque engraved with an affectionate message from the princess: Thank you very much for my time in Madrid. Enjoy the tulips!
Amalia of Orange was living secretly in Madrid during 2023 for security reasons. She received threats from an organized crime and human trafficking group, which forced King William of the Netherlands to move her out of his country. The Spanish Royal House, to demonstrate its good relationship with the House of Orange-Nassau, collaborated with the Dutch authorities to help the young heiress.
Until when can the tulips be seen?
The flowering of tulips is as impressive as it is short-lived: it ranges from two to three weeks. During this period, which usually occurs in mid-April, they display a range of brilliant shades: they are tinged with red, yellow, purple, pink and other spring colors. The best time to see them is now!
Brief history of the tulip: how did it arrive in Madrid?
If the tulip is not exactly an emblematic plant of our meadows, how is it possible that there are two gardens of these flowers in Madrid? To explain it we have to go back to the 16th century, when Charles I took control of the Netherlands, establishing an unbreakable connection between Spain and the territory we now call Holland.
The Netherlands were totally controlled by Brussels and Madrid until the 17th century, when the Eighty Years’ War began. It is during this historical period that tulipomaniaemerged : around 1625, a tulip bulb sold for 1,000 guilders. Considering that the average Dutchman’s salary was 150 guilders, we can imagine the value of a single tulip at that time.
After the independence of the Netherlands, new trade relations were established between the region and Spain. In the 18th century, tulip seeds traveled from Holland to Madrid to grow in the Royal Botanical Garden, which currently has the best collection of this species in the capital. It is not for nothing that it is generating a certain tulipomania (always understood as fascination, without speculative components) among its visitors.