{"id":18401,"date":"2018-07-03T20:17:35","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T20:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=18401"},"modified":"2018-07-03T20:23:13","modified_gmt":"2018-07-03T20:23:13","slug":"not-so-secret-gardens-botanical-gardens-cambridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/not-so-secret-gardens-botanical-gardens-cambridge\/","title":{"rendered":"Not so Secret Gardens – Botanical Gardens Cambridge"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Upon reflection…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As was the case in the last few days before we left Denmark and Germany, I would often be found rushing around favourite places, or those places that had been on the list but that we hadn’t quite made it to.\u00a0 \u00a0 And, as we very much treated Cambridge like any other expat location when we first arrived, it’s probably not much of a surprise that we are doing the same here too in the run up to the move…<\/p>\n

It’s probably no secret that Cambridge and I didn’t get on so well at first.\u00a0 \u00a0It was a huge adjustment coming back to a part of the UK that we didn’t know at all (especially when you can probably get back quicker from Munich to visit those people that make it worthwhile being back!), but slowly, and as we got to know the place (and the city obviously became more familiar), there were ready favourites amongst the places we spent time, and Cambridge’s Botanical Gardens<\/a> is most definitely one of them…<\/p>\n

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Beautiful at any time of year (especially in the blossom months), at 40 acres it might not be the biggest botanical gardens in the world, but owned and run by Cambridge University (so it’s obviously free for students!), I would put it up there in any “important botanical garden category” if there was one.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s a green and spacious peaceful lung in what can for various reasons be a pretty hectic city throughout the entire year.<\/p>\n

And as we work our way through lasts – last visits to playgroups, last visits to libraries and the like, and other places that have formed the backdrop to our lives here (and made Cambridge a lot easier to get on with!), along with Wandlebury Country Park<\/a>, the Botanical Gardens are probably the places I have been saddest about saying a final goodbye to so far, so we took our time there on a recent visit, and explored all our usual favourite corners.<\/p>\n

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damselfly inspection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First up, a spot of dragon fly interviewing, and some damselfly flight coordination advice given by The Toddler, plus a few conversations with any bees taking up brief occupancy in the fox gloves, before we ventured inside what is the most favourite part of the entire place for the Toddler:\u00a0 the Glasshouses.<\/p>\n

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glasshouses botanical gardens Cambridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Given his love of sticks and stones, this is probably one of those times that “people who spend time in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He likes to inspect each and every room (the giant waterlilies are always a must see!) covering most climates and habitats, opening the door to each section himself and admiring the contents before moving on to the next one.\u00a0 \u00a0This is all done very much at his pace so some days you might as well forget it if you are actually trying to read about something…\u00a0 But there have been days that I have been back ohne kinder, to be able to take my time wandering and actually be able to appreciate some of the 8000 species here a little more closely!<\/p>\n

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giant tree, tiny boy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another favourite past-time is a bit of tree hugging (for both of us), who couldn’t resist giving this Sequoia a squeeze (well at least I think it’s a Sequoia, I didn’t actually get much time to read the signs!).\u00a0 I don’t think any of the giants in this part of the gardens are actually that old which is quite mind blowing given how big they are…<\/p>\n

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hanging gardens of cambridgeylon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you might imagine given the fact that it’s in Cambridge, it’s a wonderfully flat place to visit, making it perfect for pushchairs and wheelchairs alike, and when you are all worn out from a day of horticultural worship and insect conversation, then the restaurant and cafe here is pretty good too (although it’s also a really lovely place for a picnic!)…<\/p>\n

Also given the fact that it’s Cambridge, there’s a really good section to learn about local Fenlands, and how people have worked on and around them in these parts across the centuries.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s also where I took the cloud picture at the very top!<\/p>\n

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learning about Fenlands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When my younger two were tiny, Kew Gardens served as an extended part of our back garden (the Eleven year old even took his first steps there), and I was always quite sad that it didn’t yet feature in my memory bank for The Toddler.\u00a0 Now I realise, that this botanical gardens has been a really good substitute…<\/p>\n

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a relaxing place for a wander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

University Botanic Garden \u00a01 Brookside \u00a0Cambridge \u00a0CB2 1JE\u00a0 – Open most of the year around, from 10 am each day…\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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