“This is my first time here and I’m so excited to witness the 75th anniversary,” said Rocelle Brewer, 41, who bought a flowing pink dress embroidered with flowers specifically for the occasion.

Nisha Kasiliya-Ravindran, a 37-year-old from India, said she was “a bit disappointed” because many of the tulips have yet to flower completely.

“We are hoping to go to the bulb fields outside as well to hopefully see some tulips,” she said.

The Keukenhof display dates back to 1949, when a group of bulb exporters and growers inaugurated it as a showcase for their wares.

As well as tourists, it has proved a draw for royalty, with kings and queens from several European nations attending the gala opening down the years.

But the opening was also not without some controversy.

“Those beautifully coloured fields hide the enormous damage caused by bulb cultivation. Insects, birds and plants die en masse due to agricultural poisons,” spokeswoman Lydia Steutel said.

Most visitors, however, said they were just enjoying the outdoor flower garden.

“We went around and were like playful kids, like, ‘Oh look at this flower, oh the bridge’ and just looking around,” said Esther Brandt, 37, from Cologne, Germany.

The park is open this year until May 12.