Dutch flower boat parade showcases Westland produce

Hothouse producers in the Netherlands stage an annual parade of some 45 boats decorated with thousands of flowers in an annual showcase to promote products from the Westland, south Holland.

The parade harks back to the days when the only way to bring fresh produce to Dutch cities was by boat on the myriad of canals criss-crossing the region. The Netherlands is one of the world's largest exporters of flowers and fresh produce, much of which is produced in the Westland hothouse area, situated between The Hague and Rotterdam.