A trip into the deserts of Africa (+ pics)

This post's title, and the fact that I am actually posting here, are NOT a joke. Happy April (Fool's Day), everyone! :)

I once again had lots to do this year so far, and winter is admittedly a slow-ish season for the gardening community (I know, still no reason not to post!) - but I hope you all have survived the bitter temperatures and piles of snow!

Over here I only saw snow once this winter, a very light dusting, for about 4 days - otherwise it has been above freezing! I know, I know. So mild. This explains why I am already seeing local asparagus in the supermarkets (albeit for 20€/kilo)!

Nevertheless, I managed to get away for a week to much warmer and milder (and more exotic) climates - I took a trip to Tunisia, which was pretty interesting and fun!

I'm only including some gardening/nature-related pictures from my trip here, otherwise there would be too much for this post (although I may post more if anyone requests). Not that there was a whole lot on this topic thanks to the desert climate - enjoy a few highlights of traveling around northern Africa!

some fresh artichokes at the market in downtown Sousse

an indoor vegetable market downtown

driving through the desert, headed south - still some green at this point

the most important agricultural crop - olive trees!

we visited a mountain oasis in the desert

mountain desert oasis waterfall!

you see some interesting sights driving through the countryside, like this main (resting under the olive tree) selling is beans on a roadside stand

heading back up north there was a bit more vegetation

an olive tree near downtown at the archaeological museum

a close-up of olives

Amsterdam Flower Market (w/ pics)!

As promised, a report of my recent travels!

Despite having lived over here in Europe for over 9 years now and having visited many parts of the continent, there are still a few important cities/areas that I haven't been to yet and are long overdue! Amsterdam being one of them, despite its proximity to where I live! So the idea for a mini-vacation and city-tour was conceived a while ago and finally born last month!

Amsterdam is not only an obvious choice destination for especially young travelers (thanks to its vivid cityscape, red light district, and pot-smoking cafés) but also appeals to the more general traveler thanks to its rich history, famous museums (Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House, recently-reopened Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, etc.), and world-renowned culture scene (Concertgebouw).

Another highlight, famous to all but a mecca for the gardener, is the Bloemenmarkt! This "floating" flower market is named so due to its location - hover over the canals with some supports on houseboats, totally Amsterdam-style!

As you may assume based on the name, flowers and bulbs are the main focus of this market, but it is a paradise for all gardeners alike - many, many different types of seeds, including exotic seeds, full plants, and even marijuana "starter kits", can be purchased and even packaged for international travel.

Enjoy my pics of the Bloemenmarkt!

a typical flower stand - look at how deep it is, and PACKED with seeds!

seeds, bulbs, more seeds and bulbs

cut flowers for sale, great selection...

...even cabbage blooms sold as cut flowers! pretty!

flowers, palms, and cannabis starter kits

the obvious pick: Dutch tulips...what which to choose?

more bulbs: amaryllis

more bulbs: zantedeschia

and some monster-esque bulbs!

live plants (here bonsai)

the ceiling of this shop at the end of the market was to die for, like heaven - a ceiling of pink (dried) flowers!!!

Hamburg Botanical / Loki-Schmidt Garden (+ pics)

So.....I had a few visitors staying at my place this week, which explains the lack of posts! But we did do something garden-y here in Hamburg (Germany), which I would like to show you!

There are actually 2 locations of the botanical gardens in Hamburg, one in Klein Flottbek and one in Planten un Blomen, the main park downtown near the university. It's actually a pretty nice park...there are areas for kids, a concert pavilion, a few cafés, some water shows in the evenings, and of course some nice beds, like the rose garden. The park, as I just mentioned, is also home to the greenhouse part of the botanical garden.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the greenhouses - there were multiple houses for each climate zone (tropical, desert, etc.) and all the plants looked great! There were even lots of blooming cacti, no easy task to accomplish. And the bang for your buck was astonishing (thanks to its cooperation with the university): entrance was FREE! Waaay cool!

I only had my phone with my to take pictures, but I think they turned out alright - hope you enjoy some highlights of the greenhouses!

the park grounds outside of the green house

the different houses! tropics, desert, ferns, etc.

polka dots!

a very weird tropical seed/flower stem

the famous insectivorous pitcher plant!

some art students doing drawings in the desert house

one of those gorgeous flowering cacti!

a succulent with a huge flower

love the spiky dark green with the yellow flower pop

love the red needles

cool succulents

a fern! striking black stem!

carnivorous plants display - insects stick, fall, drown, are clamped, etc.!

fuschia!

we thought this one looked like a tumor...or a monster... :)

Int'l Garden Show Impressions: Patterns, Colors, and More Pics

Patterns are important to any kind of good landscaping, be it how you lay the stones on your walkway, how far apart the bushes are spaced in your yard, or which patches of flowers go where in your garden. There's patterns everywhere in every day life, too - just take a look around!

I often enjoy photographing patterns...I guess it's just soothing in a way to see structure, symmetry and flow of the individual parts and how they look together. It makes whatever it is you are focusing your camera at seem perfect. It can also be quite interesting to center your picture on the one object or part that is different from the rest of the pattern, an unevenness or break in the pattern, so to say.

Patterns in nature are even more fascinating - how these came into being! You gotta love them! And the colors!!

On that note, please enjoy some patterns that caught my eye at the show, a rainbow of pattern glory:

LOVE that flaming red!

just the blooms floating on water

cacti in the continents exhibit

a sort of random pattern

love these blue hydrangeas!

these hydrangeas almost look frosted, wow!

Lots of colors to whet my palette!

Hope you've enjoyed my impressions and highlights of the IGS!