Tag: Hermannshof

You don’t know what you’ve been missing

I don’t think we miss colour in winter quite as much as people used to because they were more limited without artificial dyes and the like, e.g. I wear a bright yellow anorak in winter (I want to be seen on the road!). There are plastic toys and boxes etc. in our house. We can buy flowers and fruits all year round. There is tv and outside there are large billboards, often in glaring colours. Winter is not as grey as it used to be.

But then the first trees start blooming in soft pinks and whites, the first crocusses appear, and dandelions, specks of yellow and blue and then all of a sudden the riot of tulips start and looking at them one realises: I have been missing colour in my life.

On sunny days, there are almost more people than flowers in this botanical garden.

Friday Fun: Colours

I’m a fan of sequoias

These natives of the US west coast were planted about 150 years ago in Weinheim.  The single specimen in the trial garden Hermannshof and in the forest arboretum Exotenwald there are about 50 of these giants left of about 150.

Linked to I’m a fan of … #60.  More fanatical photos can be found here.

 

 

Let me lead you up the garden path

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In the town where I live there is a garden.  At 2.2 hectares in the middle of town, it is a small but wonderfully prolific botanical garden. The different sections and the paths are cleverly designed to give the impression of a much bigger place.

Albert-Ludwig-Grimm-Straße

When I was little this was my way to school.  I don’t remember that many cars parked there, if any, but the hedge on the right looked exactly like it does today.  It was old then, so it is at least 80 years old, possibly close to 200 years old now.  What lay beyond – this wonderful gem of a garden – was closed to the public.

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Since 1983, after the private enclosure was turned into a foundation, the garden became open to the public.  There is no entrance fee and the sights are wonderful at any time of the year.

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For Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge.

For more photos of paths, streets, roads, alleys click here.

For more information on the Hermannshof garden, click here.

 

Three castles in one town

Weinheim, in southwestern German, is known as the “two castle town” although “two fortress town” would be more accurate.   The lower one, called Windeck, is a ruin, more than a thousand years old.  The Wachenburg is a relatively new building, only about 100 years old, constructed as a venue for student fraternities of technical universities.  I like this shot because it shows the two castles from a different perspective than the usual photos of them.

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Technically, the town should even be called “three castle town” – as there is also a proper castle, the small palace of the local count.  My parents’ house is close, actually their garden borders the wall surrounding the castle grounds.  This photo is quite unusual and does the whole structure a bit of a disservice but I like it because it is how I used to look up to the tower as a child, through the branches of the large cedar (said to be the oldest in Germany).   My dad used to work in this building (it houses the town council nowadays) and one can just see the window of his office in the bottom right corner.

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Another wonderful feature and tourist attraction is the botanical garden “Hermannshof” which features many trees planted 200 years ago. It is a pleasure to visit any time of year.  This photograph was taken in early summer.

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This is for The Daily Post, sharing photos of the place I live – again, after being away for many years.  Other people showing off their world can be found here.