Tulips were introduced into the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century by Carolus Clusius. People in the Netherlands were quick to take an interest in these flower bulbs and started experimenting with growing them in the gardens around their homes. Because the demand for tulips grew, an increasingly professional approach was devoted to their cultivation, and it turned out that the coastal area – and especially the strip of land just inside the Dutch dunes – had the perfect conditions for this. The marine climate with its mild winters and cool summers, proper drainage with a consistent water level, the right type of soil and the fact that the Netherlands was a center of trade were all very beneficial factors. With the increasing urbanization occurring in the traditional flower bulb growing regions, the most important growing areas today are located in the northern regions of the Netherlands where there is still enough land available for flower bulb growing. This will assure their cultivation in the Netherlands for a long time to come.