Monday, June 14, 2010

summer idylls


Eight days in the Netherlands studying art and architecture ~ an amazing romp through 19 houses, 4 palaces, 5 museums, 1 windmill, and a beautiful collection of gardens. While we took most of it in at a full gallop, there were also some blissfully idyllic moments when we slowed down just long enough to smell the roses (or sip tea in a picture-perfect village garden).

A little light reading:

* Eric de Jong, Nature and Art: Dutch Garden and Landscape Architecture, 1650-1740 (1993)

(top: roses at Gunterstein; bottom: a garden in Loenen)

10 comments:

Barbara Wells Sarudy said...

Thank you for slowing down long enough to let all of us smell the roses.

Karena said...

Oh and I cannot wait to see more, beautiful!!

Karena
Art by Karena

Tara Dillard said...

I'm assuming the espaliered roses are fragrant?

You have me wondering if a climbing rose could be added to my little frontdoor area.

Ivy 'Gold Heart' is already there. Perhaps needing a companion!!

Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

ArchitectDesign™ said...

that cafe table and chairs in the garden would be just the thing today, I think!

Janet said...

BWS ~ Of course I saw the roses and thought of you!

Karena ~ thank you!

Tara ~ So fragrant! I think climbing roses are the perfect thing for the front door. They greet your visitors with the most divine sight and scent. Climbing roses seemed to be very popular in the Netherlands.

AD ~ I will take the cool Dutch weather too!

The Down East Dilettante said...

migod Janet, that's three tours a day---stiff pace even by Dilettante standards, and no time for jet lag!

That bottom shot---just how I always intend my garden to look, and just how it never does.....

Blue said...

I'm looking forward to seeing future posts about your trip to the Netherlands. Loenen is a beautiful place and I remember it well. The water from the roof photo in your previous post is so reminiscent of the omnipresence of water in that country - sometimes when walking along a dyke it hits one that the water one is walking by is held above the level of the surrounding land.

Emile de Bruijn said...

Although I was born there I know hardly anything about Dutch heritage, so will enjoy your reports.

Janet said...

DED ~ We almost needed running shoes! But, yes, a stiff pace is the best antidote for jet lag.

Blue ~ I was constantly intrigued by the series of canals and waterways. The are truly masters of land management! I feel in love with Loenen, so stay tuned for more.

Emile ~ I am not sure I have the energy for an in-depth report! But, I hope to bring you all a little taste of what I learned and saw! They say an picture is worth a thousand words...and I am counting on that.

Style Court said...

Ditto Stefan. I want to be in the last photo. So happy you are sharing this Janet.