My visit to the Giardino degli Aranci got me pondering the subject of gardens. There were no flower beds or herbaceous borders in that gentle garden on the Aventine, but there was an intimacy and charm within those walls that made it feel like a sanctuary. Perhaps that is really the essence of what a garden is; a place to lose yourself or find yourself or just be. The word ‘garden’ derives from an ancient term, gard, referring to an enclosed space. There are traces of its ancient etymology in place names such as Stuttgart in Germany, Graz in Austria and Borujerd in Iran.
A love of gardening runs deep in me. Wherever I go, I find some small way to garden; growing tomatoes and the hottest of chili peppers on a windowsill, gathering seeds and propagating cuttings, adding a border to a friend’s garden. I love the smell and feel of earth and marvel at the sight of a new seedling rushing towards daylight. On my travels I seek out gardens to wander through, so here are a few gardens I have visited along the way.
It’s no secret I am in love with the work of Piet Oudolf and the romance of prairie planting, with feathery grasses and dried seedheads creating the most achingly delicate winterscapes. I spent many a winter’s day wandering through his garden creations in New York’s Battery and High Line parks.
I remember the serenity of the Zen Garden in Bainbridge Island’s Bloedel Reserve…
… the lush simplicity of a tiny bottle garden at the US Botanic Gardens in Washington DC…
…the playfulness of cottage gardens in the Hamptons…
…and the drama of exotic gardens in Guatemala, where I saw the gasp-inducing Jade flower for the very first time.
Get your green thumbs at the ready for your interpretation of this week’s theme. If you would like to join in (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:
- Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Gardens
- Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
- Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
- Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS!
Lead me down the garden path!
xxx Ailsa
Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you. – Richard Brinsley Sheridan
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. – Marcus Tullius Cicero
Where's my backpack? 
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Oh Ailsa – you captured some beautiful gardens here. Being at the tail end of a harsh winter here in the mountains of Virginia, I can’t wait to get my hands in the soil again, see trees blooming and the spring bulbs flowering into their luscious colors. I can’t wait either to do a blog post on gardens but my regular computer with all my images and photoshop to prepare them for blog posts is in the shop. I am having withdrawal symptoms…help!
Spring is just around the corner, Beauty. Any day now you’ll be awash with spring colour! In the meantime, hope you get your laptop back soon, looking forward to seeing your post on gardens! xxx Ailsa
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Such a magical light in your first picture, Ailsa, I’m totaly enchanted.
We had hardly a winter this year in Belgium, so evertything is early and flourishing richer than ever. I’m gratefull for the theme you chose this week. So much inspiration in my very neighbourhood …
Here ‘s already my (first) entry 😉
http://lanterfanteren.blogspot.be/2014/03/starry-starry-night.html
Ooh, look at that magnoiia, I love that huge burst of almost white. What a gorgeous way to say goodbye to winter!
I totaly agree, when I look at its flowers I always get happy.
Thanks for this sweet comment, Ailsa.
As I said, that was my first entry. Here ‘s another one =]
http://lanterfanteren.blogspot.com/2014/03/gardens.html
I wish I had the intuition for good close-up shots, but I just never have. It tried to guess the water bottle one for a few seconds before reading the description, and I amazed you could get that effect. Very nice shots.
Mine was more a curiosity in the scenery, a vacant lot in an empty Brooklyn being used as a new co-op garden.
http://pathsunwritten.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-garden/
I miss the flowers! Gorgeous photos!
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Beautiful…all of them and in different ways but I am the most drawn to the Zen Garden…probably because I have never been in one/seen one live. We could say – the mystery of unknown… 🙂
Here’s my stroll through the Sea Garden: http://esengasvoice.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
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http://shyraven23.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
Hi Ailsa.
I’m very happy that Rome gives you much inspirations for new challenges…
Here my entry
http://max510.com/2014/03/14/weekly-travel-theme-gardens/
Love that first image, Aillsa! I must hunt out some garden images…
Ailsa, I adore the first photo. Dry, yet soft. Lovely!
Here’s my take on the garden theme: https://wheresmybackpack.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens-2/
Have a great weekend.
http://figmentsofadutchess.com/
Thanks so much for posting the right link!
Fantastic share (and theme). Especially enjoyed the Bottle Garden and the Cottage Garden in Hampton.
If you’re interested, you might enjoy this post on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens:
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/aah-thats-better-2/
I saw the Jade Flower in a Hawaiian garden for the first time. It’s a beautiful little plant! Thanks for the ‘ray of sunshine’. I’m suffering from the ‘brown blah’s’ at the moment as Calgary transitions from snow to spring. (It’s really ugly at this time of year – but at least the sun is out and the snow is melting!)
Oh my, where do I start. I am passionate about gardens and have several garden posts on my Earth Laughs with Flowers blog: http://smallbluegreenflowers.wordpress.com/category/garden-view/ but I shall have a think and come up with one I have not yet written about for the challenge – and then I shall probably spend all weekend looking at others’ posts!! (Piet Oudolf has designed some gardens here in the UK – I have seen the plantings at RHS Wisley. I need to visit Trentham soon)
Jude xx
love your entires, Ailsa! gorgeous jade flower! here’s my entry: http://lolawi.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
These are beautiful! I come from a long line of people who love to garden, but sadly, I have a black thumb. 😉
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Your recent posts about Rome got me thinking of Italy… http://jaspasjourney.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/venices-secret-garden/
The jade plant from Guatemala looks stunning. Here is my garden offering: http://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
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Stunning pictures, Ailsa! That jade coloured flower…I would give a great deal to see it with my own eyes!
http://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
Just gorgeous, Ailsa. I love being torn between the stark winter weeds and that Jade Vine – how I wanted to grow one when I was in Sri Lanka (I even contemplated smuggling one in from Singapore, can you believe!?!).
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Here’s mine! Gonna try to start getting back in the habit of doing a pictorial post every week again =)
http://therewildwest.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/travel-theme-gardens/
–Love and Liberation–
Jan @ http://www.JanSmitowicz.com
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From Singapore, samples from Gardens by the Bay…
http://963thaidays.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/travel-theme-gardens/
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had to re-blog my post for the theme
http://travtrails.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/nan-lian-garde…loon-hong-kong/
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Fun theme:) I love gardens, although my entry this week is a bit “overgrown”… http://kerlundphoto.se/2014/03/15/travel-theme-gardens/
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I love your garden photos Ailsa, Having just come back from NZ I couldn’t resist this theme.
http://pommepal.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/travel-theme-gardens
I love all the gardens provided they bring me peace and serenity.Harmony is also very important.
Nature is essential for healing.I like your photos a lot.
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Love your photos especially the 3rd and the 5th.
Here is my entry: http://witrianphotofolio.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/travel-theme-gardens/
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My challenge for this week is Bogor Botanical Garden, located in the middle of Bogor city, Indonesia. It consists more than 15000 species plants and trees. See my challenges at http://foto2nurul.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/travel-theme-gardens-bogor-botanical-garden/
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I’m back, but with a slightly different slant on the theme: http://wp.me/pL5Ms-1eh Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Jude xx
I’ve never seen or heard of the jade plant, how spectacular!
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Love the photos, especially your first one. Here’s mine
http://sunriseadventures.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/travel-theme-garden/
Look what I found… I posted this some time ago when the theme was “through”. But it fits perfectly for the one from this week too, don’t you think?
http://lanterfanteren.blogspot.be/2013/09/come-with-me-for-walk-through-my-garden.html
I wish you all a flourishing weekend!