Twice this week I’ve set off full of good intentions, and twice I’ve been confronted by a sign. On Wednesday Polin is closed for Yom Kippur: on Friday, the Orangery in Łazienki for a function. I know this before I even enter the formal garden, past the guardian lions. I can see the swirl of tablecloths being laid even from a distance.
It isn’t in fact an inconvenience. After a string of rainy days the sun is shining brightly, and I find myself in a garden full of unexpected flowers. The entrance path is lined with statues: two worn recliners, one faceless; the busts of Roman emperors, including an incongruously harmless looking Caligula; and a few graceful nudes.
But it’s the Dutch Garden that charms me. I’m astonished by the profligacy and variety of the flowering. I step gingerly onto forbidden grass to get closer to dahlias, and bend my creakiness towards the multi-patterned leaves. Colourful grass spikes remind me of blady grass at home: white walls provide a perfect background to show off cones and balls of pale pink hydrangeas, purple daisies and white cosmos.
As I’m leaving, a crowd of teenagers appears: they drape themselves over the fountain and sprawl on the steps, some of them glued to each other, some to their iPhones. My path leads me above them and gives me an elevated perspective on the Orangery and its beautiful garden.
At last! I finally have a post that I can link to Jude’s garden challenge. This month she’s looking for what’s special about a favourite garden. For me, what’s special about this one is its unexpectedness and unseasonal blooming. For other special gardens click here.
I am now curious to why they have a Dutch Garden and what other nationalities may linger there! And I am forever turning up at a place only to find it closed for one function or another! In your case it was indeed no convenience. Have you had any frost yet? That usually kills off the summer flowers.
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Dutch? “The idea of enriching the Orangery Garden came from Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, during his visit to the Royal Łazienki in 2014. The design prepared by a Dutch landscape designer – Niek Roozen, came to fruition as a result of the generosity of Dutch and Polish companies who liked the idea of decorating the Old Orangery garden with flowers so much that they donated their flowers for the undertaking.” Dutch have a long-standing presence in Warsaw, apparently: “At the end of the 17th century, the Dutchman Tylman van Gameren left his mark in the Palace on the Isle and the Hermitage building; from 1664, he worked for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski – the owner of Ujazdów at the time. From 1672, this highly educated architect stayed at the court of King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, by whom he was granted indygenat, thereby becoming a Polish nobleman” says Barbara Werner, Chief Gardener of the Royal Łazienki.
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Splendid – thank you for the information. Did you see this garden in spring? I am imagining lots of tulips.
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I didn’t but if you click on the link there are photos of it betulipped.
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Will do 🙂
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Frost? A small one near the apartment the day I visited the garden actually.
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What a lovely visit, Meg, all the better for the unexpected find of this garden….and I did smile at you bending your creakiness…..you sure can write, girl!
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I suspect I creak better than I write! I think I need a good bushwalk to loosen up.
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Oh, you do make me smile, Meg!
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I was more creaky today after yesterday’s bushwalk.
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That’s seriously good gardening to have some much still flowering and in such good condition! You can rely on Michaelmas dasies to give a good show late in the season, but scabious, wonderful. This is a real treat Meg 🙂
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Scabious?? What an ugly name for such a beautiful flower. I suspect Łazienki gardeners are seriously good, and there are seriously many of them at work all the time. The gardens are a Warsaw showpiece. While I was there, there was a man mowing and whippersnippering. I’m glad it was a treat for you too.
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Hooray for Jude! This gives me another chance to look at Lagieniki 🙂 🙂 Didn’t she do a great job with the water gardens at Alnwick? I’m just taking 5 minutes before anyone stirs and trying to calm my nerves. Thanks you so much for the hugs and wonderful support, Meg. Back in a few days.
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Take your time returning my dear friend. That was a wonderful tribute to your dad.
Jude did indeed do a good job of the water gardens. I’m awed by the number of splendid gardens she winkles out.
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I was so surprised to see so many flowers blooming this late in the season. I love these types of unexpected finds!
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I don’t know how you plan for the unexpected! This time I had planned, but for something else. I’m a nthn hemisphere novice but I certainly didn’t expect to find such a lovely garden.
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Do you take commissions??? There’s an exhibition of August Sander photographs at MoMA till October 30th. I’d love to see it through your eyes. Cheeky, eh?
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