Category: Gardens

Sweden: Uppsala Botanical Garden & Food

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THE LINNAEUS GARDEN

Path in the Linnaeus Garden

This morning was cool with bright sun to start.  We headed for the garden with stops along the way to take photos of the cathedral and other sites under blue skies.  It was cloudy and very windy later on.

A professor of medicine and botany at Uppsala University, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1748) created a new system of classification for plants and then later animals.  His naming system is used all over the world, including at the California Academy of Sciences where I initially worked in its research library. 

The Linnaeus Garden, known as the Uppsala University Botanical Garden, was originally planned in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck and even in that day was a noted botanical garden in Europe.  A catastrophic fire in Uppsala in 1702 destroyed much of the garden, but when Linnaeus arrived as a young botanist,  he had free rein to rehabilitate it and created his sexual classification system for plants. 

Tall hollyhocks

The first garden became too small, and Linnaeus’ son and one of his fans convinced the king to donate the gardens of Uppsala Castle to the university.  These grounds soon became a park and it wasn’t until 1917 that the Swedish Linnaeus Society, using Carl Linnaeus’ descriptions and lists of plants, recreated the garden mostly as it had been in 1745.  Today it includes only the 1,000+ species cultivated in Linnaeus’ time and is once again part of the university.

Annuals in the garden

Annuals and biennials in the Annual Parterre are arranged in 44 beds in narrow rows.  They are not closely cropped or confined.   Rather, many are very tall or spread out often overlapping with the next variety. 

Monkey hut

In his day, Linnaeus included some exotic animals in the garden: parrots, goldfish, a tame raccoon, and several monkeys. To accommodate the latter, there are a series of monkey houses or huts atop poles. Attached to each pole is an iron rod and while the monkeys were chained to the pole, they could exit their huts and scamper up and down the rod.

Wire monkeys over the street

DINING IN UPPSALA—ETHNIC VARIETY

O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub

O’Neill’s is our friend’s favorite pub, and we enjoyed dinner here on our first night.  The Chief Penguin and I ordered lightly, chicken club sandwich for me and seared king prawns for him, while Josh, who hadn’t eaten much all day, had the braised lamb shank with root vegetables.  The guys enjoyed a local beer, while I sampled a local cider.  All perfect for this long first day!

Ristorante Villa Romana

Classic Swedish salmon & potatoes

Lunch today was at a small Italian restaurant, Villa Romana. The menu has pizzas and the expected pasta dishes such as bucatini carbonara and lasagna, but each with a Swedish twist.  This being Sweden, you can also order a classic dish of salmon with dill over white potatoes.  You order at the counter and it’s delivered to your table.  This menu item included bread, salad, and coffee.  Having just arrived, we ordered the salmon and potatoes which was a hearty portion meant to easily carry us through the rest of the day! 

Lindvall’s Kaffe

Elaborate cakes and cookies

Given the plethora of bakeries, I thought I should include this neighborhood konditori where we purchased some filled cookies (citron and chocolate) and two berry tarts to take away.  Lindvall’s cases were filled with lots of temptations for dessert or breakfast, and these were a tasty addition to our afternoon tea break. 

Note: All photos including header photo of a sunflower variety ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Maine Musings: Reading & More

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Here are two books I read recently. One is literary fiction by an author I know from previous works. The other is a romance which is clever, humorous, and just fun. The Chief Penguin and I also made our second visit to the botanical garden this week, so I offer a few comments on it and their new sculptures.

WAR’S AFTERMATH: GRITTY, TRAUMATIC, ISOLATING

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips (my summer list)

Author Phillips (nytimes.com)

Jayne Anne Phillips won the Pulitzer Prize for Night Watch, a post Civil War novel set in West Virginia.  The events take place in 1864 and 1874 as various chapters focus on different characters.  Principals are 12-year-old ConaLee who ministers to her catatonic mother, Eliza; Dearbhla, their older neighbor and sometime protector; and Night Watch, a partially sighted employee of an insane institution.  Earlier chapters depict The Sharpshooter midst the horror and gruesomeness of battle in 1864.  

Abused and controlled by Papa, a drifter who moved in them and took over, ConaLee and Eliza are deposited at an insane asylum where they beg shelter.  Here, Eliza masquerades as Miss Janet and ConaLee as her maid.  Gradually, they adapt and know and become known by Night Watch, Weed, a boy who hangs around, and Dr. Story, head of the asylum.

This graphic complex novel, based in part at a historical institution, deals with poverty, the trauma of war, and loss, the loss of tangible property, the loss of loved ones, and the loss of personal identity.  Who am I really?  Or if I know my name, what is my role or place in this now war-ravaged world?  

Initially, I found this novel challenging.  The battle in the wilderness section was especially hard reading and, for me, lacking in enough concrete details.  I set the book aside for a few days, and then, re-engaging, found it to be found it rewarding and hopeful.  Phillips also wrote Quiet Dell and Lark and Termite, novels I read for book group discussions. Recommended! (~JWFarrington) 

MEETING YOUR PERFECT MATCH

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

Romance novels are big sellers these days; it’s a hot genre.  Even the once staid New York Times Book Review now has a monthly romance column.  

While browsing fiction in one of my favorite independent bookstores, I kept encountering tags protruding from various shelves.  Each read something like, “Looking for Romance, try [name of an author.]” Being curious, I followed a few of the leads and ended up near Christina Lauren’s books, an author unknown to me.  It turns out Lauren is the pen name of two women, one named Christina and the other Lauren, and they have published several highly praised titles.  

The Soulmate Equation is funny and fun. On a whim, statistician Jessica Davis submits a DNA sample to a new firm, GeneticAlly. They claim to find and match you with the best person based on certain of your genetic characteristics.  A single parent of 7-year-old Juno, Jess is mainly focused on being a good mother and staying financially solvent.  When her test results show she has a 98 percent compatibility match with Dr. River Pena, the company founder, an aloof and arrogant man, she is decidedly not interested.  How their story unfolds despite their seemingly disparate personalities and lifestyles is witty, swoon worthy, and heartwarming.  This is one for the beach!

GORGEOUS BLOOMS

COASTAL MAINE BOTANICAL GARDENS

Pink dahlias

Our time in Maine would not be complete without several visits to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.  Opened in 2007 and now in its 18th season, the gardens cover 300 acres with some shoreline along Back River.  It’s the largest garden complex in New England and a top attraction in Maine.  Each year, there are new flowers to see, new areas have been planted, and this year, new signs enhance wayfinding.  This week, the dahlias were especially lovely.

Fiddlehead fern metal sculpture

The gardens also feature works of sculpture, some on loan and others more permanent installations. Besides the giant wood trolls installed several years ago, two fiddlehead fern metal sculptures adorn one area.  These were created by Shane Perley-Dutcher. Perley-Dutcher is a mixed media artist from the First Tobique Nation in New Brunswick. Copper in color, with the metal partly woven like a basket (echoing the work of Wabanaki weavers), these pieces are a great addition. They stick up above the greenery to be viewed from a distance (see header photo) and can be seen up close.  You can also sit inside the fern! 

Note: All unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidy Tidbits: Art, Angst, & Autism

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BEAUTY IN GLASS

Bromeliads planted like a mosaic

Each year, Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota highlights the work of a notable artist as inspiration for special art throughout the gardens.  Other years have built on the interplay of art and nature in the works of Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, and Monet.  This year’s focus is on the stained glass art of Louis Comfort Tiffany.  There are pieces both in the conservatory and throughout the landscape. 

Hanging stained ”glass” in the conservatory

 I think it is one of the most successful exhibits in this series.  Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature is on display through June 25th.  It’s well worth visiting!

Desert plants seen through a colored panel

RECENT READING

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

As has been noted, Kingsolver’s latest novel, Demon Copperhead, is a modern variation on Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.  Demon, birth name Damon, is the child of a teenage addict and an absent father.  When his mother dies, he becomes the responsibility of a sorry welfare system and endures a series of mostly terrible foster homes.  Overworked, mistreated, and bullied, he is nonetheless a survivor.  

Lacking in self-esteem, his early shining moments are starring on the football field and being elected homecoming king.  He has artistic talent which he occasionally values, but he lacks the confidence in his abilities to seriously pursue it.  A badly injured knee damages him both physically and mentally, and he descends into a drug-fueled existence.  He functions, but not fully.

The novel is all in Demon’s voice.  The sentences are delivered in a breathless almost hasty tone with occasional staccato-like bursts.  There is humor and coarse language wrapped in a surprisingly engaging character.  

The writing is terrific, but the book is just too long!  I got bogged down with all the teenage boys’ antics and shenanigans about two-thirds in and set the book aside for a week.  Then I returned to it, determined to finish, and felt rewarded by my efforts in the last several chapters.  For me, the ending was a satisfying one.  Overall, recommended with reservations. (~JWFarrington)

OUTSTANDING SERIES

Astrid, season 1 (PBS)

I mentioned Astrid in an earlier blog post and have now watched the entire first series.  It is excellent on several levels.  Astrid works in criminal records and is blessed with an encyclopedic memory and keen observation skills. She is also autistic and at the beginning of the series quite timid in her dealings with other people and the world in general.  Paired with detective Raphaelle Coste, Astrid provides insights and knowledge of previous murders instrumental in solving the latest crime.  She even manages to win over the somewhat crusty pathologist Fournier. 

The cases are intriguing and usually hinge on some connection to an earlier crime.  What was most engaging for me was the growing friendship between Astrid and Raphaelle and watching Astrid gain in confidence, able to practice basic social niceties.  I also enjoyed the interactions between the members of Astrid’s autism support group and the wise guidance provided by William, the group leader.  The series is in French with subtitles.  Highly recommended!

Live plants echo the colors of the glass

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is of a screen at Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota.

France: Castles & Gardens

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Today we explored more of Dordogne with a visit to a castle, hanging gardens, and the medieval city of Sarlat. 

MILANDES IN CASTELNAUD

In this area of France, it seems you are never far from a castle or chateau, to use the French word.  In a small radius from our B&B, there are at least four chateaus, most of which we’ve seen from a distance, if not up close.  Milandes was a chateau we had not heard of previously.  On our hosts’ Richard and Philippe’s recommendation, we started there.

Josephine Baker, an American singer, dancer and actress, was born in 1906 and came of age in the 1920’s and 30’s. As a Black woman who was not widely accepted, she left the U.S. for France.  Here, she was warmly welcomed and had a very successful career.  In later years, she also performed in New York and elsewhere.  

Milandes is the 15th century chateau she owned for 30 years.  Baker lived and raised her twelve adopted children here.  But she was more than just a performer. During the Second World War, she served in the French military carrying encrypted messages in her sheet music.  In her post-war years, she actively fought against racism.

Exterior of Milandes

Her chateau, which was much restored during the 19th century with formal gardens added in the 20th, is stately and beautiful.  The Chief Penguin and I thoroughly enjoyed both the grounds and touring the interior rooms, everything from the huge kitchen to children’s bedrooms to Baker’s dressing room.  All are furnished, and there are mementos and photos from her long career. (Photos not allowed inside.)  The air was lovely so we ended with croque monsieurs for lunch outside at the brasserie.

Casual French lunch

MARQUEYSSAC

Planted around a 17th century chateau, the Hanging Gardens of Marqueyssac have been owned by the same family since 1692.   A series of winding paths and walkways stretch linearly for a kilometer from the level of the chateau to a belvedere which is almost 400 feet above the river.     Along the way, the views of the Dordogne Valley are stunning.  In the distance, you can see castles and a fort ranging from Castelnaud to Beynac to Roque Gageac.   The paths are lined with boxwood hedges and boxwood topiary.

View over the boxwoods toward the valley

After you park, there is a somewhat steep walkway up to the entrance gate.  Once inside, you have your choice of several different walks, one of which is flat, the others being hilly.  We walked some, marveling at the views across the valley and also checked out the chateau and tea garden.  Some of the rooms in the chateau are lightly furnished.  The thousands of boxwoods that add to the beauty and fragrance of the paths were added in the 19th century by Julien de Cerval. Cerval made other improvements to the property as well.

Boxwood topiary & fields below

RETURN TO SARLAT

Street in Sarlat

More than 40 years ago, the Chief Penguin and I spent part of a day in Sarlat. We came on market day, wandered around the stalls, and then savored lunch outside in one of the squares.  Sarlat is one of the best preserved and most beautiful 14th century towns anywhere.  Its cobblestoned streets and narrow passageways are both inviting and intriguing.  Scores of restaurants are tucked in and around these winding ways.  It is hard not to eat well here. 

 Specialities are foie gras, truffles, duck confit, cassoulet, and more.  Our lunch that day included foie gras, of course, and their famous pommes sardalaises, potatoes cooked in duck or goose fat with garlic and parsley.  I don’t recall the rest of the meal, but it was deliciously memorable!

Square in Sarlat

Yesterday, we weren’t in need of a meal, so we just strolled noting the shops for truffles and wine and the many restaurants and cafes, almost wishing we were hungry.  We stopped at two war memorials. A gentle rain was falling, few people were out, and it was strangely peaceful.

Sarlat memorial

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is of the garden at Milandes.