Monday, September 17, 2007

Walkies!

Today we're going for a walk, a long walk, so I hope you're wearing sensible shoes or boots. Mine are both sensible and fashionable of course. ;-) Walking is all the rage now in garden bloggers world or so it seems. Chuck B. has been at it, and Kim, and Pam too. But we're not going to walk in my neighbourhood though, nope, we're going for a walk in beautiful Denmark. Denmark is a great country for walking; with its gentle rolling hills and wonderful countryside.
You can walk for miles and miles and not meet a soul. But there's more to enjoy in Denmark than just its countryside, let me show you. Are you ready? Come take my hand and let's go! Bamba (left) and Pluto are rearing to go, so don't keep them waiting too long, will you? OK, best foot forwards and off we go!
The countryside is lovely isn't it? The farmers have recently harvested the grain here and soon they will harvest the straw as well. Take good deep breaths of that wonderful country air, delicious isn't it?
But, as I said before, there's more to Denmark than just the countryside. There are so many beautiful houses there too, set in very picturesque villages. See what I mean?
Just love those pink roses peeking over the white picket fence!
This house looks very nice as well and I think a gardener lives in that house; see that tub of flowers next to the garden gate? Pretty, isn't it? Let's have a closer look, shall we?
Not the biggest garden in the world, but still a very beautiful little slice of paradise on earth.
What a lovely house, a pity that it's hidden away behind all the shrubbery. Nice blue Hibiscus though!
And what have we here? Another pretty cottage, note the beautiful ferns on the side. What a good use of space.
This is fun too, what a cute little summer house. I see that the owners are into colour coordination.
Moving on! Hmmm, this looks rather intriguing. Beautiful window! I wonder what's there behind all those bushes. Shall we have a look? Go on, don't be shy.
Ohhhhh, a real Hansel and Gretel house, don't you think? So pretty! And there's more, see? What a lovely apple tree and laden with fruit.
And that's not all, just look at that nifty greenhouse. Isn't it fun? I like this combination of the very old with the very modern.
But not everyone lives in beautiful old thatched cottages in Denmark, some people live in apartments. But that doesn't mean that you can't be a gardener. It's obvious that Lizzy has been very busy. Isn't it just wonderful?
In Denmark they do elegant too, of the understated kind. Lookie here, how's that for an entrance? Simple and nice clean lines, just what the doctor ordered.
We've come to the end of our walk and I leave you with this chocolate box cottage. Isn't it just to die for, and so beautifully situated too? Smack in the middle of a beautiful park at the edge of a pond. It doesn't come much better than that!
My summers' garden has lost its glow,
But there's one thing we should all know
Life is like a rose: someday it will fade away.
Margie Driver, 'Life and Roses', 1997

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

wowwww wat heb ik hier van genoten , trek mijn laarsjes wer uit ;)) cottagelover als ik ben ...deze zijn helemaal top en de tuinen geweldig ;))

Anonymous said...

Thanks for taking us with you! It was a very nice (and easy!) walk through the meadows and villages of Denmark. Hope to see some more pictures as I guess, this was not just one walk you made during your visit in this country ;-).
Barbara

Carol Michel said...

Yolanda Elizabet... I'm not sure if my shoes were fashionable, but I did enjoy your tour through Denmark. That last picture, especially, is quite a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing it all with us.

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the "walkie," especially the opportunity to see how the good folks in Denmark live and garden. But I'd still love to see how your neighborhood looks. What are your neighbors up to? Are they gardening too? What are the houses like? Is there something funky or iconic in your neighborhood?

I hope you'll give us a tour one day soon.

Anonymous said...

Hi Yolanda,
Yeah I love the walkes with the dogs in the Danish countryside.
And the dogs loved it the most of all. Don't know if they enjoy the scenery...?
Danmark is a nice country to visit, I can say that!!

Bye Yolanda

Anonymous said...

Dat was even een heerlijke wandeling!
Mijn wandelschoenen stonden nog "af te koelen" van een lekker dagje Zuid-Limburg afgelopen zaterdag dus ik kon er zo inschieten.
Mooi land Denemarken, doet me zo wel een beetje aan Engeland denken!
Ik heb genoten.
(Hier heeft het trouwens om een uur of drie even gespetterd, verder de hele dag droog, hopelijk morgen ook!)
groeten, Marian

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Thanks for the tour. I love places with a feel of history about them. Your gardens certainly are full of color!

Aiyana said...

Hi Yolanda,
I loved your entertaining tour through the Danish neighborhood. It was very educational. Thanks for visiting my blog and taking my tour, and telling me about your post. I think this is a lovely way to see the world of gardens.
Aiyana

stadtgarten said...

I never knew that there are such lovely cottages and gardens in Denmark, where we were on vacation years ago, they had more the white and simple ones, which are elegant and nice, but a little bit boring.
So thanks a lot for this walk where I could see the other Denmark.
Groetjes, Monika

Green thumb said...

Thanks for that walk through paradise. The houses are all like the kind I had imagined while reading fairy tales.
It must have been a delight, just to be there. I wish, someday destiny will let me experience all these beautiful places first hand, till then I am happy enjoying them through your blog:-)

Naturegirl said...

Yolanda this is a walk I shall remember! Oh those cottage style homes just so charming! Everything looks so clean and neat! I thank you for this enjoyable invitation to walk with you and the dogs!
That last photo is priceless...a GREAT photo!!Worth framing! hugs NG

Anonymous said...

You're right! I really did enjoy taking this walk. :) It's amazing how different Denmark look from the part I live in Sweden (for example the country side and the houses). But it's soo beautiful! I just love the houses - they look so sweet and just like they do in fairy-tales.

Have a nice week!

Carole Burant said...

I so enjoyed that walk, I want to go again!! lol Such beautiful homes and gardens, I could spend hours investigating every little nook and cranny. That last picture is just awesome, what a very perfect setting!! xox

Entangled said...

It's no wonder everyone says Denmark is beautiful. Some distant relatives of mine went there on a genealogy field trip and fell in love with the place.

Thanks for the guided tour!

Connie said...

Yolanda, Thanks for the walk through your beautful countryside! I almost felt as if I were really there. Loved the cottages and gardens!

Laurie and Chris said...

Wow, That was a very fun walk it is very neat to see your houses they look a little different then ours. All of the plants are very nice. Thank you for the tour/walk it was great!

Unknown said...

What a fun walk! It strikes me as I walk around Denmark "with" you, that it's funny how many plants are used similarly across the world. Those apartment plantings could be a particularly colorful apartment planting here as well.

(Looks like Bamba and Pluto had much to sniff along the way--I bet they had a ball.)

Robin's Nesting Place said...

What a lovely walk we had! I wish Americans would catch the gardening bug like Europeans. When I went to Austria, flowers boxes were filled with flowers on just about every building. It was beautiful. The majority of Americans who live in apartments would never even think to plant flowers. Such a pity to miss out on an opportunity to experience and share beauty.

Anita said...

Thank you so much Yolanda for the wonderful tour! The cottages & gardens are indeed gorgeous and you are right, especially the last one is to die for!

Groetjes,
Anita

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the walk.
Your dogs are very sweet.
Is the first photo of your house?
It is a gorgeous home.
Your neighborhood is like a story book.
I feel tired after all that walking and I must go to bed now.
Oh, check out my latest tiny tomato.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Hi all and thanks for taking this walk with Bamba, Pluto and me. We all enjoyed your company very much.

Lenie: veel mensen houden van cottages, ze zijn zo menselijk van schaal en zien er zo vriendelijk en knus uit.

Barbara: welcome to Bliss! And you are not wrong; we went for many walks in Denmark.

Carol: glad you enjoyed it and yes, that last cottage is absolutely wonderful. It's the stuff dreams are made of.

Pam: there will be walkies in my neighourhood too soon.

Bert: Bamba and Pluto went with us twice a day for walkies and they loved it. Sure they enjoyed the scenery, but not with their eyes but with their noses.

Marian: Zacht glooiende heuvels en cottages kom je in meer Europese landen tegen dan alleen in Engeland. Ik heb het bv ook in Nederland gezien (zuid limburg), maar ook Duitsland en in Frankrijk (Normandie).

Apple: Denmark is steeped in history.

Aiyana: welcome to Bliss. Yes, this is a lovely way to see the world. I enjoyed your tour a lot too!

Monika: the pics were taken on Sealand, the island that Copenhagen is on. Perhaps you went to another part of Denmark, Jutland perhaps?

Green Thumb: I love houses, especially old ones so I was very happy to be in Denmark and look at all those wonderful cottages. Some were dating from the 15th century! And I've been in one that dated from the 16th century, isn't that great?
I hope you will get your wish someday!

Naturegirl: I just knew that this walk and all those lovely cottages would appeal to you. The last cottage says it all, doesn't it? It's the ultimate dream of cottage lovers. :-)

Karin: I know you love Denmark, so of course you'd like it. :-) Perhaps you could do a post one day about your neighbourhood?

Pea: you can go as often as you wish, my dear! Bamba and Pluto would like that very much! ;-)

Entangled: I went to Denmark for the first time in 1995 and have been there every year since then. It is a beautiful country, very rural and dotted with these lovely cottages. And the people there are very friendly too.

Connie: glad you have enjoyed the walk through lovely Denmark.

Laurie & Chris: Denmark is great, I love going there for my holidays!

Kim: yes, that's what strikes me too, also when it's GBBD and I see what's in bloom all over the world. Fun, isn't it?

Bamba and Pluto loved to go for walkies with us. We went twice a day for an hour long walk and we also took them to the beach several times. They were in doggy heaven then!

Robin: you are right, it would be nice, very nice indeed if more people realised how great gardening is (if only in a windowbox) and how it enhances the place where they live.

Anita: glad you enjoyed the tour!

Chigiy: Bamba and Pluto are my dear friend Maria's doggies and you are right, they are very sweet and gentle dogs.

Oh I wish that was a pic of my home, but no, it isn't. snif!

Soon I'll take you all on a walk in my neighbourhood in the Netherlands. And you will see how different it is from Denmark.

Good grief, that really is a very tiny tomato! Have you phoned the Guiness Book of Records yet? ;-)

kate said...

A walk through Denmark with you ws most fun. I am staring at the chocolate box cottsge and wondering who lives there. The countryside is beautiful and so different from here.

Do you visit Denmark often?

Anonymous said...

Dat was een mooie wandeling en gelukkig zonnig en droog....
Ben één keer in Denemarken geweest en de huisjes en vaak fleurige tuinen zijn mij altijd bijgebleven. Leuk om het weer te zien :-)

Shammickite said...

That was a wonderful walk past all those charming houses and delightful gardens. My feet are killing me now.... should we have a cop of tea??

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

Oh what a lovely walk! I feel so refreshed. Thank you! Your photos transported me to Denmark (a place I've never been). Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

Mary said...

Hi Yolanda!

Thanks for visiting today. You have a terrific blog and I enjoyed your walk. The photos are stunning and the homes are just beautiful. It's wonderful to see homes in your part of the world! You have a love for dogs and cats - my kind of gal!

Your comment about grammar and being blonde made me laugh out loud :o)

Mary

Petunia's Gardener said...

What a treat! Thanks for the walk. I have to remember my camera when I venture out to our regular places nearby even. It is fun to see where others live and vacation.

Reflection Through The Seasons said...

What a lovely walk! I enjoyed seeing the charming cottages too and your cats - Wow! they are adorable, particularly Chuck and Wendy. Marion

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful walkies. Thanks so much for bringing up along :)

Anonymous said...

wat een heerlijke virtuele wandeling heb ik net gemaakt zeg :)
en dat huisje, inderdaad net het huisje uit hans en grietje ...
Denemarken, staat ook nog op mijn "wil ik heen' lijstje.

ik ben blij dat je een berichtje heb achtergelaten op mijn fotolog, zo heb ik naast Ina's tuinlog nog een wegdroom log gevonden!

vele groetjes
Gadisa

Betty said...

Yolanda, I tried to leave a comment yesterday but blogger comment didn't cooperate.....

I so enjoyed my walk through your neighborhood....however, I don't think any of the gardens came up to yours.....your kitties are adorable.

Thank you for your visit and taking the time to leave a sweet comment.

Please come again....Betty

Poppins said...

Fun to see photos from your trip to Denmark. I've been a lot there and I know it is a very beautiful country full of nice people!
I noted with interest that you prefer the Gustavian style befor arts and crafts. I smiled because I like both... and a mix of them become Carl Larsson-style. Do you know of him, a swedish artist?

Poppins said...

Hello again! I have written a message to you on my blog. :)

SchneiderHein said...

Danke für diesen herrlichen kleinen 'Morgenspaziergang'.
Er erinnert mich teilweise an meine Lieblingsinsel, die inzwischen schon lange nicht mehr so idyllisch aussieht. Viele Deiner Fotos kommen mir so vor wie eine Reise in die Vergangenheit. Vorallem die weiße Villa mit dem alten roten Ziegeldach. In so einem Haus mit knarrenden Dielen und zugigen Räumen, wildem Wein am Haus und Mäusen im Wandschrank habe ich viele Jahre als Kind den Sommerurlaub verbracht und fand es herrlich. Heutzutage fast unvorstellbar, aber damals war es der perfekte Urlaub!
Schön, dass es so kleine liebevoll gepflegte 'Inseln' noch gibt und Du sie hier zeigst!
Liebe Grüße Silke

LadyLuz said...

Yep. Better late than never. I took up your invitation, Yolanda - got out the stout shoes and had a great time. Thanks so much: it was such a breath of fresh air!

Everything there so neat, clean and orderly - so Scandinavian. I love it.

Garden Cats + Crafts said...

Was für wunderschöne Fotos von Eurem Dänemark-Trip! All die schmucken Häuser. Ich mag sehr die Reet-gedeckten Häuser. Das Foto mit der weißen Haustür und den 2 Buchsstämmchen gefällt mir. Wie im Bilderbuch. Auch das weiße Fachwerkhaus mit den blauen Fenster finde ich zauberhaft.
Einfach Idylle pur.
Danke für die schönen Bilder.
Liebe Grüße, Birgit

Kylee Baumle said...

Denmark is so charming. I loved this little tour!

lisa said...

Beautiful countryside! I love the buildings in Europe-very quaint. Thank you for the walk!