As I sat yesterday trying to think of things to possibly see and do for the coming new year I also found myself making a list of things and places to best perhaps steer clear of temporarily, just to inject some variety on our visiting repertoire.
Three places stood out for us, namely Madeira, Kew Gardens, and Cornwall.
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| Madeira |
Variety is the spice of life as they say and new experiences keeps ones interest refreshed and on going. And if you only have a limited amount of days off from work in a year there is this little pressure from within to try and include as many new things within this finite amount of free time.
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| Kew |
But there is also the call of the familiar. If you enjoy a place so much then what's wrong with visiting it over and over again? And isn't it nice that when you go to a place you know it so well than you don't have to adjust to your surroundings anymore? That you can just immediately settle in and not think anymore, but just feel it, straight away.
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| Cornwall |
And I got some answers this morning, looks like it's going to be a 'meet halfway' thing. Despite initial hesitations due to our previous repeated visits, the feeling seems just right now to just give in and....what the heck, visit it again for the nth time soon. And one we'll be visiting again very soon as it's near a nursery that has a post Christmas sale ongoing.
Looks like only one will get the chop for a visit next year. But what about all those wonderful nurseries there, in a year when we need to stock up on plants again?
Ahh C'est La Vie! But what about you, would you prefer to keep coming back to the same place you are familiar with, or would you rather visit somewhere new each time? Or have you found a middle ground between the two?
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
It is nice to keep visiting favorite places but novelty is fun too. So many choices, so little time.
ReplyDeleteSo true Peter, so many choices so little time!
DeleteHi Mark, I was thinking about the same thing some days ago and decided together with my husband that next year there will be a middle way, something familiar and something unknown. We were even considering spending our main and only :-( vacation not in England, but somehow I can't imagine not to visit the gorgeous English Gardens. We will see... But back to you guys, no matter where you go I know that we readers are in for some great posts, so in your case I really don't mind ;-)!
ReplyDeleteChristina
It is finding that balance isn't it, visiting familiar places you are fond of as well as new places to experience and discover. A happy middle ground would be ideal but not always feasible :) I must say I do enjoy reading your posts on your travels here in England!
DeleteI'm not one who travels far from home, but I do like to travel. I'm hoping there's a possibility that your travels next year will include a trip to Portland for the Bloggers Fling. There's just so much to see on the Fling, not to mention all the great people.
ReplyDeleteThere's a big possibility we'll make it to the fling Alison. There's so much to look forward to it, the places on the itinerary are almost secondary, it's the people we will be looking forward to the most :)
DeleteI know exactly what you mean. I just spent a week in Arizona, after having spent time there in the summer of 2012, and yet I already want to go back. However, as you said, working stiffs like us have a limited time available for travel so maybe I'll skip Arizona next year. Maybe I'll switch it up with San Diego...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, chances are good I might be in your neck of the woods in July. I'll email you privately if it happens :-).
After seeing your amazing Arizona photologue I fully understand why'd you'd want to keep coming back to it over and over again but San Diego sounds enticing as well. A colleague just came back and was telling how much of a great time they had there.
DeleteWow, it'll be great if you can make it here Gerhard!! Sounds exciting already and will be looking forward to it so cross fingers it happens :))
I haven't had the opportunity to travel far for the last few years so, restricting my answer to what's within a commutable distance, I'd say I don't mind returning to the same nurseries time and again if they regularly update both plant selections and displays. Public gardens change slowly, if at all, so I seldom visit those year in and year out. I hope you enjoy your travels, wherever you choose to go.
ReplyDeleteReturning to the same nurseries over and over again is a nice habit to acquire, especially if they regularly update their stocks and you just don't know what gems they'll have each time you visit. There's also the flip side of seeing a nursery decline as time goes by until you almost have no reason left to ever come back, witnessing a few that went this way with the recent recession and all. But we're glad there are still a good many left who continue to trade and stock great plants.
DeleteI like a mix of the old and the new. I would return to Phoenix and Tucson every other year if possible, then mix it up with something different in between. Of course places that are closer for road trips are a no-brainier (like Seattle for us). Naturally I do have a suggestion for a nice destination for you oh about mid-July of next year...
ReplyDeleteA mix of old and new is the most sensible approach, and it's nice to get to know a select few places intimately and even develop a sense of connection with them, hence the draw to revisit continues. That place you're suggesting for July is definitely on the cards :))
DeleteYou know every one of those photos are lovely but that first one really stops me to stare at it. It's lovely but also peaceful. Would love something like that.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
It a fabulous garden in Madeira Cher, and that's just a small section of it :)
DeleteI really have no excuse for not visiting Kew as it's within an easy hour's travel but sometimes it's the gardens on the doorstep that get overlooked in favour of the ones that have to be planned for. Great idea to make plans at this time of year; I especially like the look of your Cornish garden - where is that? I'm long overdue for a visit to Cornwall …. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's Trebah Caro, and you must visit it very soon, you'll love it!
DeleteIt can be a real dilemma to make such decisions especially the older you get! It's good to return to gardens over the years to see them evolve but as far as holiday destinations go we've not returned to the exact same spot for years. Last time we did that we were disappointed and wished that we had kept our initial favourable impressions in our memories. That glimpse of Cornwall in your photo looks so magical - you've definitely made the right decision to return.
ReplyDeleteJust to echo your sentiment about going back again to the same place, sometimes some places are best visited once and the lovely memories you get from that visit linger. A second visit can be disappointing and dampen the memories of the first. Decisions decisions :)
DeleteDefinitely the middle ground! if I were close, I would visit Cornwall as often as possible!
ReplyDeleteYou'll love Cornwall Debs!
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