Garden Architecture | Belgium's Top 10 Spring Garden Destinations

Millions of tourists flock to the Netherlands each spring to take in the beauty of the tulip fields. Most have no idea that further south, Belgium is a garden lover's paradise.

The following list contains 10 spring garden and nature destinations in Belgium that are not to be missed. I hope you find one that inspires you to enjoy Belgium's natural beauty.

Vredehof Tulip Garden

While definitely not as large as the Keukenhof Bulb Gardens in Lisse, The Netherlands, The Vredehof is no less special. This garden, in Kessel, was started by one man, Fernand Geyselings, when he retired in 1987, as a tribute to his late wife. Geyselings planted over 200,000 different bulbs, by himself. There are 200 different varieties of tulip and 185 other spring blooms, from daffodils to hyacinths. There are also a number of flowering trees and garden decorations.

Address: Torenvenstraat 28, Kessel

Groot-Bijgaarden Castle and Gardens

The Groot-Bijgaarden is another must-see for tulip and spring bulb lovers. The grounds of this castle are open to the public for a month in the spring. As well as the stunning castle grounds, there are also indoor displays by local growers. The Garden is open this year from from 8 April until 6 May.

Address: Is. Van Beverenstraat, 5 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden

The Japanese Garden of Hasselt

Although you wouldn't expect it, the largest Japanese Garden in Europe is in Belgium. The Japanese Garden of Hasselt is magical in the spring as its 250 cherry trees burst into bloom. The garden is based on 17th Japanese Garden architecture and was constructed with the help of Hasset's sister city in Japan, Itami.

Address: Gouverneur Verwilghensingel - 3500 Hasselt

Cherry Blossoms in Brussels

If you can't make it all the way to Hasselt to admire the Japanese Gardens, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms in Brussels. Although there are cherry trees in bloom at various locations around the city centre, one of the best places to view them is in Park Leopold, near the European Parliament. There are various spring blooms in this little park, which is a hop skip and jump from the larger Parc du Cinquantenaire, also in full bloom in the spring.

Address: Park Leopold, 1040 Brussels

Belgian Royal Greenhouse at Laeken

One of the most anticipated spring garden events in Brussels is the opening of the Royal Greenhouses at the Palace in Laeken, Belgium. The palace is the main residence of the Belgian Royal family and their private grounds are only open to the public for several weeks in the spring. The Greenhouse complex was built between 1874 and 1895 and is 2.5 hectares. The plant collection includes giant palms and ferns from Africa, azaleas, geraniums, orchids and bleeding hearts among many others.

Address: Domaine Royal de Laeken, Avenue du Parc Royal, Brussels

National Botanic Garden of Belgium

The National Botanic Garden of Belgium is located just outside of Brussels in the town of Meise. The garden is 92 hectares and holds 18,000 varieties of plants from magnolias and rhododendrons to medicinal plants and wild roses. There is also a large glass house with tropical and dessert plants, a traditional farm house and garden and a garden shop. At the centre of the Botanic Garden sits Bouchout Castle which is often open to the public and is available for receptions.

Address: Domein van Bouchout, Nieuwelaan 38, Meise

The Grand Béguinage of Leuven

The Grand Béguinage (Groot Begijnhof van Leuven in Dutch) is not specifically a garden destination; however it is a quiet oasis in the centre of the Flemish city of Leuven. The Béguinage is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It dates from the 13th century and was a refuge for unmarried semi-religious women. These days the Béguinage is owned by the university and houses visiting students and professors. You can wander through the quiet cobbled streets and admire the small gardens and climbing roses that decorate the living quarters.

Address: Schapenstraat, Leuven

Hallerbos, The Blue Forest

Hallerbos is a beech forest near the town of Halle. Throughout the year it is a haven for walkers, cyclists and horseback riders. In spring however, the forest acquires a magical carpet of blue, created by millions of Bluebell flowers covering the forest floor.

Address: Near Halle in Flemish Brabant

Villers Abbey Medicinal Garden

Belgium is famous for its many abbeys and the wonderful beers brewed in them. Because the monks were often the area's physicians, many abbeys had medicinal gardens. One great example can be seen at the Villers Abbey (abbaye de Villers) in Wallonia. In addition to the garden, there is a working vineyard as well as the ruins of the abbey which are stunning to wander through.

Address: Rue de l'Abbaye, 55, B-1495 Villers-la-Ville

Ronquières Inclined Plane Boat Lift

I admit that a boat lift may seem like an odd choice for a post on gardens and nature. You can't however discuss gardens in Belgium without a nod to the country's agricultural heritage. Farming remains a mainstay in this country and what better place to admire the fields of Belgium than 70 metres in the air. The observation deck at the boat lift offers panoramic view of the countryside as well as the Brussels-Charleroi canal.

Address: Ronquières, 7090 Braine-le-Comte

Belgium is often overlooked as a travel destination in Europe. For garden and nature lover's, however it has many hidden jewels just waiting to be discovered.

About the Author

Alison Cornford-Matheson is a Canadian garden and travel photographer who lives in Brussels, Belgium. She is a passionate traveller who loves to share her discoveries through her words and photos. To read more about her expat life in Belgium and her travels in Europe visit her blog http://cheeseweb.eu.

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Garden Architecture | Suzhou Classical Gardens-World Cultural Heritage

Talking about China, you will think of the images of Chinese classical garden. Suzhou, a cultural and historical city in east China Jiangsu Province, is celebrated around the world for its elegant gardens. If you are a Chinese Gardens lover, don't miss to go there.

Suzhou is also known as "Gusu city", having the fame of "Oriental Venice" with more than 2500 years history. As the world of garden, Suzhou offers the best museum to show its ancient gardens which are the gem of classical garden architecture in south China and has been included in the UNESCO heritage list.

Local chronicles reveal that Suzhou city held nearly 200 gardens during its heyday. As the saying goes, gardens to the south of Yangtze River are the best in the World and Suzhou gardens are the best among them. These gardens attain their high reputation not only for their vast numbers, but also for their charming natural beauty and harmonious construction.

Enjoying or appraising Suzhou Gardens, you should keep in mind six points as below:
# Conception

# The way rockery and waters are arranged

# Pavilions, terraces, halls and chambers

# Flower and tree arrangements

# Appropriate name

# Poetic touch

The Surging Waves Pavilion, the Lion Grove Garden, the Humble Administrator Garden and the Lingering Garden in Suzhou are inscribed as the Four Most Famous Gardens in China and they represent the different styles of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. And the Garden of the Master of the Nets is another exquisite garden in this city.

Song Style Suzhou Gardens: The famous example is the Blue Wave Pavilion (Canglangting). The oldest classic garden in Suzhou, It is originally built in the Tang Dynasty. Canglang Pavilion emphasizes the harmony between man made buildings and the natural environment which features a range of man-made mountains on the inside and landscapes on the outside.

Yuan Style Suzhou Gardens: The famous example is the Lion Grove Garden which is reputed as a "kingdom of artificial mountains". Built in 1342, the garden is an ideal sightseeing site as it many elegant pavilions, majestic towers and numerous other works of art. What fun it will be when you are viewing fragrant flowers and winding delicate corridors!

Ming Style Suzhou Gardens: The famous example is the Humble Administrator' s Garden. The garden consists of three parts with different types of buildings around streams and ponds. In the main garden, there are four pavilions placed at different spots. Each pavilion has a very beautiful and lyrical name which represent the four seasons.

Qing Style Suzhou Gardens: The famous example is the Lingering Garden. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. Dating from the 11th-19th century, the gardens reflect the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture in their meticulous design.
Recommended tours:

# Day 01 Arrival Suzhou

# Arrive in Suzhou. Be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.Day 02 Suzhou

# Depart from hotel in the morning and be transferred to visit Humble Administrator Garden, the Tiger Hill and the Lingering Garden.Day 03 Departure Suzhou

Visit the Garden of the Master of the Nets in the morning. Free at leisure until to be transferred to the airport for your next destination.

china tour-Professional China Tour Operator with tailor made service. Come with us to see China with your own eyes and touch this ground with your hands. All services are private and in small group with English speaking tour guide and license driver.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Huiya_Chen

Garden Architecture | Garden Landscape - Lets You Experience the Nature's Therapy

It will not be wrong to say that nature is men best friend, and what can be more rejuvenating than an exquisite garden outside your home that gives you a real paradise experience. Landscape design is the best option to make your surroundings beautiful, the method does not limit to garden or lawn making rather it is a complete gardening architecture. The entire architecture work adorns the beauty of your house, garden landscapes, pool landscapes, commercial landscape. But it is often seen that people take the task themselves and end up making the place a disaster. Choosing an adept landscaper will provides a beautiful look, if you have decided to get your garden landscaping done then firstly plan out what all things will be involved in it. Determining the theme such as native, subtropical etc is very much important, just think about what varieties of plants grow well in your surroundings. Do take suggestions from the experts about the well-grown plants in your area so that they flourish more with lower maintenance costs.

Professional landscape designers helps you to build your paradise, they are the best guide which provides you unique designs, construction details, lists of suppliers and plants. Before hiring any professional do check their previous projects, credentials, references and portfolios. The costs of this totally depend on the area you live and the training and experience of the person your hire. Be upfront about the budget you have, as a professional landscaping can cost high at your pockets. Landscaping is done in several ways, some of its aspects are soft and hard landscaping, soft landscaping refers to simple and creative creation of garden while the hard landscaping includes rockery works, pond, patio, pathway, terrace, and driveway constructions.

Hence it is very much clear that selecting an appropriate landscape designer is a necessity, they are likely the ones who will turn your place into paradise. With the emergence of technological advancements they are able to execute their plans in a more favorable way.

Paradise Landscapes serves as a best solution for landscaping for the people of Auckland. The firm is efficient in creating exquisite landscapes projects according to the likes and dislikes of the customers. They also provides consultation and quotation for free of cost, their expertise designing and planning guide will provide you a complete overview to make your place a heaven. To have glance at their portfolios and services you can browse via http://www.paradiselandscapes.co.nz.

Paradise Landscapes carry out entire landscape projects from garden landscaping, pool landscape design, planting, hard, soft landscaping and garden maintenance as well as the project managing the entire job.

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