Whimsical Garden Sculpture…

After the heart stopping ceramic artworks we found in Seigburg, followed by a quick but interesting visit to the home of Kushi Grazzini and her husband Ilija Frenzel who make contemporary salt glazed vases and replica medieval tableware respectively, we made the difficult decision not to visit the lively and creative city of Dusseldorf and push on further north to Munster instead. I am already regretting this decision as we circle in the van for the umpteenth time past the central Haufbahnhof! If the illusive contemporary artist and craft studios that are supposed to have cropped up in a recently regenerated area of the canal actually exist, no one seems to have told the locals who look at us blankly when we ask for directions before shakingly their heads and swiftly walking off (or maybe they were just offended at our rubbish German pronunciation). So, after an admittedly lovely walk around the lakeside park we leave Munster disappointed and with nothing to show for our visit other than a happy Miko who has had much fun stalking ducks and frolicking in the park! We stop off for an impromptu visit to Hannover for a weekend Garden & Interiors Fair situated at the HerrenHausen Garten, an impressive palace with formal baroque garden and decorative lakes and canals. In contrast, the exhibition is pretty disappointing and to top it off it’s cold and raining. We deliberately didn’t plan the route too much for this trip as we don’t like to be limited by a fixed schedule but it means it can be hit or miss for finding the best things! Thankfully all is not lost. I discover these fantastic monumental hanging glass lenses which I have tagged for a ‘yet-to-be-determined’ place in our garden. I like one or two whimsical things in the garden- to surprise and be discovered – as long as it doesn’t get too silly, new agey or bitty ( I feel a garden-themed post coming on!). These though, are both grand and sculptural, kind of Alice-in Wonderland crosses Victorian curios and with a slightly hypnotic effect – great for forcing you to relax and zone out from the stresses of a busy day. They looked especially intriguing hung from a tall long limbed tree slumped over the nearby waters edge. Hmmmm where to put? We don’t have a willowy tree ….or a pond for that matter but I’ll think of something. [envira-gallery id=”18272″]