It's always been regarded as a symbol of Holland - so it's little wonder that the country has lived up to its well deserved reputation as the tulip capital of the world as these amazing pictures show.

The photographs, taken in the nothern Netherlands, also show why thousands of tourists head to the country every year to see the floral displays.

The tulip season begins in March and lasts until August with several shows held across the country, but the flowers are undoubtably at their most spectacular at this time of year.

The cultivation of flower bulb began more than 400 years ago and today Holland produces more than nine billion bulbs every year, of which two thirds are exported overseas.

Evenly distributed, this number would allow for almost two flower bulbs for every person on the planet.

The country's reputation for producing the colourful flower has grown so much that the area between Haarlem and Leiden is now regarded as "De bollenstreek" or the bulb district.