22 Apr 2010
Spring in the Hardenberg Castle Gardens
Spring took its time this year, but now it's making up. All that pretty green comes out faster than you can look. Too bad the birch pollen come out faster than you can sneeze as well.
Hardenberg Castle Gardens
But that blasted allergy isn't going to keep me inside, not on a warm and sunny day. So I took a walk in the gardens of Hardenberg Castle last Sunday. I've mentioned in an older post that the family eventually left the castle on the mountain and built a Renaissance style palace in the valley, surrounded by a park. Part of it is open to the public.
View from one of the high paths
It's an English style landscape park where the plants are allowed to grow more or less naturally, and since the grounds reach from the valley up a slope, there are several levels of paths, opening to new views.
A carpet of blue flowers
Spring is the time where the sunrays still reach the ground, and the flowers are making good use of it. Soon the foliage will be too dense to let much sunshine through, but right now the light effects of a late afternoon sun can be amazing.
Closeup of a blue flower
I don't know what those blue flowers are called, but they are pretty. Anyone got an idea what those are? I'm not sure if it's a wild flower or maybe some domesticated sort that has run out of control and reconquered the forest ground.
A carpet of white flowers
More spring flowers, this time in white. Birds where everywhere, too, but they are too fast for my camera. There were not many visitors around, so everything was quiet (except for the birds, but I don't mind their 'look ate me; look at that pretty nest I built' chirping) and peaceful.
Garden art
The Hardenberg family also has a distillery plus shop, and a restaurant on the castle grounds, so my father and I had a nice dinner on local venison. And I got me a bottle of a special Hardenberg herbal liquor which is very yummy.
Garden art, a different angle
The distillery can be seen in the background of this photo. The Castle Gardens are sometimes used for art exhibitions, and there's a Mediaeval tournament in summer, riding competitions on the grounds outside the park, concerts, and other events. ¶ April 22, 2010
Spring took its time this year, but now it's making up. All that pretty green comes out faster than you can look. Too bad the birch pollen come out faster than you can sneeze as well.
But that blasted allergy isn't going to keep me inside, not on a warm and sunny day. So I took a walk in the gardens of Hardenberg Castle last Sunday. I've mentioned in an older post that the family eventually left the castle on the mountain and built a Renaissance style palace in the valley, surrounded by a park. Part of it is open to the public.
It's an English style landscape park where the plants are allowed to grow more or less naturally, and since the grounds reach from the valley up a slope, there are several levels of paths, opening to new views.
Spring is the time where the sunrays still reach the ground, and the flowers are making good use of it. Soon the foliage will be too dense to let much sunshine through, but right now the light effects of a late afternoon sun can be amazing.
I don't know what those blue flowers are called, but they are pretty. Anyone got an idea what those are? I'm not sure if it's a wild flower or maybe some domesticated sort that has run out of control and reconquered the forest ground.
More spring flowers, this time in white. Birds where everywhere, too, but they are too fast for my camera. There were not many visitors around, so everything was quiet (except for the birds, but I don't mind their 'look ate me; look at that pretty nest I built' chirping) and peaceful.
The Hardenberg family also has a distillery plus shop, and a restaurant on the castle grounds, so my father and I had a nice dinner on local venison. And I got me a bottle of a special Hardenberg herbal liquor which is very yummy.
The distillery can be seen in the background of this photo. The Castle Gardens are sometimes used for art exhibitions, and there's a Mediaeval tournament in summer, riding competitions on the grounds outside the park, concerts, and other events. ¶ April 22, 2010
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How pretty! Spring is such a lovely time of year. The white flowers look like wood anemones to me. I can't put a name to the blue flowers.
Thanks for the tree pics. We're greening up here in Wyoming, but I still miss seeing trees now and then - the throwback to my childhood in woodier places.
Kathryn, it's bad this year because all those pollen throwing trees have to make up for lost time.
Thank you, Bernita. It's a lovely place.
Carla, the blue ones look like they're trying to disguise as oddly coloured marguerites. ;)
Constance, I would miss the trees.
Sire, you could try for a marriage alliance with one of the daughters of the count. :)
Thank you, Bernita. It's a lovely place.
Carla, the blue ones look like they're trying to disguise as oddly coloured marguerites. ;)
Constance, I would miss the trees.
Sire, you could try for a marriage alliance with one of the daughters of the count. :)
How lovely to see Spring after such a long hard winter! But you're right, the pollen is bad this year - even I've been suffering and generally I am OK with tree pollen!
The count has chaste and pretty daughters needing a husband? Hmm...filles...au pluriel. This means I would have to choose one. *fretfretfret*
Sire, there are two, both pretty and both good horsewomen. The training facilites are in the public part of the park, and I've seen them ride. Got some beautiful horses, too. :)
Jules, I'm on my 4th bottle of chromoglycine nose spray. :rolleyes: And the antihistamine pills make me tired, no matter what the package says.
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