Gardener’s Paradise in Switzerland

Lausanne, Switzerland

Any place that rains just seems to boast those luscious gardens, and Switzerland was no exception. I expected it, this being my fourth time in Europe in a few years since the travel bug bit me and I caught myself taking an abundance of floral and gardening landscape images – really with you in mind. I know some of you love gardens as much as I do and I wanted to make sure I took these images to show Benjamin what we can do – and hopefully you will be inspired too!

One of the most impressionable things I saw started in Zurich when I noticed there was a huge lot of plant with individual gardens and garden sheds. They are available for rent/purchase (I think I cannot read German). I was impressed that people would buy a little spot to have their own garden, which made me feel fortunate to have my own garden in my backyard. This area is probably for city dwellers and need some garden space. I love that it was filled and I admired so many gardens!

^^ This is the site but I couldn’t read it – there’s a video tour showing the layout. It sits on a hill outside of the city. It was rainy and a bit cold so some of the flowers were in bloom and others weren’t. I admired someone was growing rhubarb!

On our walks through neighborhoods and by Geneva Lake there was always a great landscape display with flowers. It made me think about Holland and how I bet those tulip and daffodil fields are blooming!

In the stone walls flowers bloomed, reminded me of Ireland.

In Lausanne this was where we stayed – I also admired the grounds of the hotel and wanted to come back with these rose stakes!

^^ I think I can make these stakes for my roses to climb, don’t you?

I sent this photo below to Benjamin and said he needed to start making a mound of dirt ASAP –

We have a spot in mind but keeping things alive on there will be challenging. I kinda laughed just imagining him and our lawn guy mowing it. Pahahaahaa. But it would be SO pretty, right?

The trick will be how to make the florals survive in the heat when the water will be going down the ground level. May need to add a sprinkler to the top and let it run every morning. We’ll put this on the one year wish list and I’ll keep you updated.

^^ I am not particularly fond of cats due to my allergies that make me feel like I’m suffocating to death. However, this cat came in front of me and meowed so loud, and rolled in front of me in the sun. I laughed and took this photo. I think this captures the joy of a cat in Switzerland, or anyone for that matter, quite well.

From an aerial view of a gondola ride up to Mt. Pilatus I saw this scene below and cracked up at its genius move – do you notice the little pen the horse and pony are in? Then see the spot to the left where they had already been/ate. It’s like a controlled lawn mower. Now I think we need a pony.

The streets of Zurich, in the older town paved with cobblestone had darling stores –

As we walked around neighborhoods I saw these wires attached to the sides of homes which made it easier for vines to climb up. Also very cheap.

I had just spent $300 on wire grates from the nursery the week I left for the trip – on top of paying a handyman to mount them. This would have been much cheaper and easier – this is a similar technique we used for our jasmine wall which was a diamond shaped (but I am letting them take over the entire wall, too hard to maintain the criss cross shape). Use floral wire and some eyelet screws and you’re set my friend.

Since it was rainy there were also HUGE snails, like the ones that people probably eat (if eating snails is your thing).

^^ Saw this at the Coop (pronounced like “cope” which is a grocery store) and if I saw these on way out you know I’d pick one up every time! For $20! The Swiss Frank is equal to the US dollar at the moment. Look at the fruits already growing on them!

There was a fountain filled with flowers, right outside a garden shop –

And now I’m day dreaming of how I’m going to apply this inspiration to my own backyard!