The town of Aalsmeer lies on the ring canal of the Haarlemmermeer polder, southwest of Amsterdam. A third of its area is occupied by water, the so-called Westeinderplassen: hence the town's name ("Eel Sea"). Aalsmeer has an international reputation for its flower auctions, the largest in Europe.
During the Middle Ages the
town owed its importance to fishing, stock-farming, the peat trade and, from 1450, horticulture, which became increasingly important as the nearby town of Amsterdam grew in size and population. This development was promoted by the draining of the Haarlemmermeer in the 19th century. The town's horticultural activity began with the cultivation of lilac, but later switched to pot plants and cut flowers. There are now well over 600 flower nurseries in Aalsmeer, the greenhouses cover an area of some 600 hectares/1,500 acres.
Each day 19 million flowers and two million plants are sold. The historical gardens highlight the development of horticulture in Aalsmeer from the 17th century to the 20th century.
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