My mum has been visiting for the past few weeks… from 9675 km away so it was a rare and special occurrence! Sadly she left on Friday evening, but I consoled myself over the weekend by looking through and enjoying the gazillion-and-one photos we took of all the fun stuff we did :)
Last weekend was Open Tuinen Dagen (Open Garden Days) in Amsterdam. A once yearly opportunity to gain access to some of the beautiful green spaces hidden behind the tall brick gables of Amsterdam’s grachtenpanden… and to experience (and snoop around!) other people’s gardens.
I had no idea there was so much green space hidden away behind and between the buildings in the city’s centre. I suppose a quick look at Amsterdam via Google Earth might’ve told me that but it really was quite a revelation! There are some incredibly beautiful gardens out there…
[top: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (English version) translated into morse code. Sculpture by Maarten Versteeg, in Amnesty International's garden at Keizersgracht 77]
[top: Bat, by ceramicist Dorine de Gruyter]
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30 June, 2009 at 12:42 am
kendalee
Oh, lovely time with Mum – what a treat! – and all these garden gems to discover together – perfect way to spend summer days… :)
Beautiful pictures as always. I especially like the bench with sun streaks and the sky reflected in the weed covered water – gorgeous!
2 July, 2009 at 10:16 am
sakurasnow
Thank you kendalee! The bench was photographed in a Japanese-style garden (at Keizersgracht 586, I think) which was beautiful and serene. Definitely one of my favourites :)