20 July 2014

Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam

We were in Amsterdam recently, and while visiting the sights around town, my thoughts brought me back to a novel I read recently, "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert. In that book, the heroine visits Amsterdam, where a botanical garden called the Hortus Botanicus features prominently. I looked it up, and the Hortus Botanicus was indeed a real place, so we made it a priority to visit. Without any doubt, it was well worth the visit.

The garden is currently celebrating its 375th year, and its ancient charms are all still there. The biological diversity of the garden is unprecedented for any garden I've visited in the past. One of my top sites in the world. I could go on and on, but I think the garden is best described in pictures:

At the gates
Just some nice flowers
In the butterfly green house
Melissa enjoys a butterfly on her arm 
Giant "rhubarb"
The incredible palm house from the 1910s
More of the incredible palm house from the 1910s 
Giant lily pond with lotuses 
Pitcher plants
Not sure what these are, but they are amazing

No comments: