‘#StayStrong’: Netherlands flower fields send messages of hope to the world

The Netherlands’ famous flower farms may be tourist-free, but the fields continue to bring joy as the world faces the coronavirus pandemic.

One farm made sure visitors knew they would be missed, with tulips cut to spell out “See you next year” and form a heart, as travel bans and lockdowns remain in place around the world.

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“Due to COVID-19 travel plans [have] changed. Many of you were planning to travel to the Netherlands to see the flower fields in bloom. Unfortunately this isn’t possible this year,” said family farm Dutch Daffodils and travel company Tulips in Holland on Instagram last April 19.

“You may miss the Netherlands, but we miss you too!” they said. “This Sunday we spend with our families in the flower field to create something special for you. We headed the tulips a bit earlier to write this message. From our families to yours!”

Another flower field in the country has an encouraging message: “#StayStrong.”

Nursery S. Schouten created a message of support in times of the coronavirus reading “#StayStrong” by cutting off the flower heads in a field of tulips in Bant, Netherlands, Sunday, April 26, 2020. AP Photo/Stef Hoffer

Nursery S. Schouten in Bant cut the heads of orange and pink tulips to make the message, as well as an image of a hand holding two tulips, as seen in pictures from the Associated Press on April 27.

AP Photo/Stef Hoffer

The Netherlands imposed lockdown measures on March 15, closing schools, bars, gyms and restaurants. Mass events have also been banned until September 1. Lockdown measures have been extended until May 19, the government announced last April 21, while primary schools will reopen on May 11.  /ra

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