Returning to the garden that is Leiden, Summer 2014

The sun shone through this short walk on gardens in full bloom with a variety of flowers. I felt like a poacher, taking some of these photos of private yards, but then the impulse to acquire one image, just one image, of that beauty was irresistible. These images come from a very small stretch of about a dozen small homes with pocket-sized yards, but full of flowers, they illustrate why I associate Holland with flowers in every season! 

Leiden Leave-taking

One last walk around Leiden and a little shopping on Saturday which is one of the two market days in Leiden (Wednesday is the other).

I have a photograph taken from this bridge posted elsewhere on this blog.

Molen de Valk, which is also a Windmill Museum.

Leiden's main square, where the bookseller had set up shop.

As you walk down this avenue, the Hooglandschekerk (or the Church of St. Pancras) looms up suddenly. One is not, or I was not, prepared for the scale of this edifice.

This blog opened with flowers and closes that way. Our last stop is at the flower section of the Saturday market. We feast our eyes and enjoy the wonderful indulgence of buying flowers in Holland.

Bouquets brought, bouquets bought

There are florists everywhere in Holland, and they arrange flowers in the most natural way so that you think you (be)hold a bunch you picked for yourself in a bountiful garden. Just like that. No stiff baskets. No cello-taped 'bokkay'beaten to death on a piece of paper. Just as you would hold them in your hands as you walked back from the garden.

At the Hortus

Leiden University's Hortus Botanicus is a very special place. This is where the tulip, an import from Turkey, was grown for the first time in Holland by Carolus Clusius.

The spread

Under the canopy

Bridal Bouquet

Now I have seen wisteria...

Lightly Lilac Leiden

Another traveller from the tropics

Carelessly green

Daffodil beds