Monday 2 April 2012

B is for Botanical Gardens

When I arrived in Oslo, one of the first places I visited was the Natural History Museum. To get there you take a path through this beautiful area called the Botanical Gardens.


Founded in 1814, it contains approximately 7500 different plant species and aims to draw awareness to the importance of plant diversity.


My favourite area in the botanical gardens is Oldemors Hage (Great-granny’s Garden). It functions as a “living archive” of plants that aren’t available commercially any longer and that have been collected from old gardens. It is set in a little area of its own, surrounded by a cute little fence. There are benches to sit on, facing out towards a breathtaking view of Oslo.


One of the nicest features of the Botanical Gardens is that they have been specially tailored towards certain groups of people. For example, 'Oldemors Hage' is “particularly designed for people suffering from dementia – the familiar scents, old-fashioned benches and other traditional elements have a comforting effect and improve their memory.” Continuing with this idea, there is another area called 'The Scented Garden'. This garden has its plants built into beds set higher up, for easier access to wheelchair users and all of it’s signs are in Braille.


The gardens are best viewed in the spring and summer, when the beautiful flowers are in bloom, however, I took a trip there a couple of months ago and visited the greenhouse. A lovely and warm escape from the snow and cold air, the greenhouse is like a little summer sanctuary, filled with themed rooms, such as the Mediterranean Room and the Desert Room. Here, you can walk around a pond covered in giant waterlilies, visit rooms filled with tropical plants or just take in the warm atmosphere and pretend you are somewhere exotic for a while!


The garden is free to visit and I recommend visiting both the Natural History Museum and the Geology Museum too, if you ever go there! More information can be found here.

(pictures lovingly taken myself, for once. Help yourself if you like them, but please link back to my blog :)

inspire nordic

90 comments:

  1. I need to get to Oslo and visit that garden. Thank you so much for the wonderful description and the pictures.

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    1. You really truly do. You are very welcome!

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  2. Awesome post, those pictures are gorgeous! I'd love to go there, it sounds and looks really interesting! :)

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    1. Thank you :) You should definitely visit it, if you ever go to Oslo!

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  3. It's the kind of garden you wish you could have at home - I know I do - but without all the effort and expense ;)

    Lovely post, as usual. It makes me feel lazy, as this A-Z of mine will have no theme whatsoever.

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    1. I know... but you'd need about a hundred gardeners! It's nice not having a theme too, then I will have something new and random to read everyday!

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  4. THESE PICTURES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING POST!:x

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  5. What a beautiful Garden... I love it. Now... the 'Oldemors Hage' setting is such a great idea... just lovely. That would be the place to take my residents for a tour... if there was one like that here :-))

    Great post!

    Doris

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    1. I think it's such a wonderful idea. It's just a lovely place to sit and relax, as well, without all the extra benefits :)

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  6. These pictures are amazing! I love gardens and can only dream of mine being so wonderful. I find it ironic that last night at dinner, my friend's daughter was just talking about going to Norway. I am sharing your blog with her. Thanks for your kind words on my posts, also!

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    1. Wouldn't it be so lovely to have a garden like this! Nice that she's thinking of coming to Norway, thank you for sharing my blog with her - let me know if she has any questions, I'd be happy to answer!

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  7. :) i loved your pictures :) especially the pink flower :)
    i haven't been in Oslo yet, but it is in my future plans, so it is nice to read about places worth visiting :)
    nice post, by the way :)
    have a nice day,
    Deni

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    1. Thank you very much :) Hopefully you will get to read and learn about many other places in Oslo on here, to get some inspiration for your future trip! Have a nice day too, dear :)

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  8. A flower enthusiast - lovely photos. Glad you enjoyed the eyelashes.

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  9. What a lovely place! I really enjoyed this post!

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  10. Hei Nikki! Thank you for popping by.. great post! I live in Fredrikstad but work in Oslo. - Are you Norwegian or just living over here? We will have to meet up for coffee sometime! :-)

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    1. Hei hei :)

      I see, I'm English actually, I'm just living in Oslo for an exchange year through university. I will be leaving at the end of May, I think. I would love to meet up for a coffee, that would be fun!

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  11. It sounds beautiful there and very well planned. Anything that helps dementia sufferers is worthwhile. I love scented gardens.

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    1. Actually, I think I was in the scented garden at the wrong time of year, since I didn't notice it really - the whole place smelled beautiful anyways! But I agree, it's so worthwhile for dementia sufferers, such a lovely idea for them :)

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  12. Beautiful photos!!! I love gardens.

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  13. I love botanical gardens, they are the perfect place to sit, relax and draw! As a creative person, i love seen all the different shades of greens, exotic plants and colours. Good luck with the rest of your posts too!

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    1. I agree, I'd love to take my sketchbook and spend a sunny day there :)

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  14. Beautiful!! I love flower and really I can visit

    Visiting from
    www.withapinkie.blogspot.com

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  15. Sorry I missed the A-to-Z kickoff yesterday -- I was of of town and got back late. But I wanted to stop by to thank you for posting on my blog and to visit yours in return.

    Absolutely beautiful pictures! Great post, and much luck and success in A-to-Z!!!

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    1. Thank you very much! Good luck to you too :)

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  16. Totally beautiful! I wish I can experience such beautiful scenery as you do! I love flowers.. bluebell and daisy are my favorite!

    And you're right, the important thing is to love ourselves for who we are. Thanks for the kind word my dear, it makes my day so much. xx

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    1. Hopefully my photos can help with that :) Thank you for your sweet comment. I love both of those flowers too!

      I'm so glad I made you feel better! Have a lovely day from now, too :) xo

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  17. Love this. Want to follow. I'm going to pass your blog on to a couple of friends of mine.

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    1. Thank you very much! It's kind of you :) I'm glad to have you as a follower!

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  18. Beautiful pictures. I have been to Norway, but only briefly, but there is something about Scandinavia that makes me feel as if I have been there before. And I admire all things Scandinavian. Books too, so I am a new follower of your blog and will save personal questions for later. Oh yes, we have an IKEA just a few minutes away and have sampled some delicious Swedish food and folk dancing at their special events.

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    1. I feel the same. Someone once said to me that some people go to a different country or a different place and immediately feel that that's where they belong and I kind of get that feeling from Scandinavia.

      I'm glad to hear you're a fan of Scandinavian things! IKEA is one of my favourite places, I love little shopping day trips there, eating lovely Swedish food. I've never been to any special event but they sound great!

      It's lovely to have you as a follower :)

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  19. HI, Nikki,

    Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. I LOVE things Norwegian, since I have a smidgen of Norwegian blood in me.

    Do you know Siv Marie and Been There Done That? If not you should. She is my Norwegian Cyber sister and also lives in Norway and does many posts on Norwegian folklore. I know you would love her.

    Here is her blog address. http://sivmaria.blogspot.com/

    I hope you'll drop by my blog today if you get the chance.

    The Gardens are absolutely gorgeous. I hope to make it to Norway next summer. It has been one of my dreams for many years.

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    1. Hello! I'm glad to hear it! I hadn't heard of her blog before but I'm going to visit her now, I'm sure I will like the blog very much, from what you've just said :) I'll also be dropping by your blog very soon!

      You absolutely must go to Norway, it's beautiful!

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  20. Great post! Beautiful photos. It sounds like a magical place and I love how there are different sections to the garden for different people :)

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    1. Thank you very much, Becca :) It really is magical and so lovely and interesting with all of it's different sections!

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  21. What beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!!

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  22. Nikki,

    This post was wonderful! I love the fact that you essentially took us on a walking tour of the gardens, using words and pictures. And the bit about certain areas being crafted to address people with particular needs, well that's inspired.

    Thanks so much for sharing your time, your talent, and your love for your adopted land.

    Best,
    Joe
    B/Barnstorming

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    1. Thank you so much for your amazing comment. It was so sweet and it made me smile so much as I was worried that this post was going to be considered boring!

      Thank you for making me smile :D

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  23. I love the pictures! What a unique theme for your A to Z Challenge. I'll have to check back in since I like learning about other cultures.

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  24. your photos are beautiful and take me back to my earlier love of plants--- your blog made me feel like i was there today

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  25. Too beautiful, almost magical.

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  26. Beautiful pictures! The Great-Granny's Garden sounds awesome! :)

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  27. Loved the photos! I'm a big fan of botanical gardens. We have a great one in town, which has a butterfly festival going on right now, and I've been to serveral others around the U.S. The way they smell is pure heaven!

    Happy Monday!

    Jaycee's A-Z

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    1. That sounds lovely, I remember visiting the butterfly rooms at another garden and having butterflies landing on me and fluttering around everywhere, it's so nice :)

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  28. Oh how lovely! I'm so glad I stopped by. I've only been to a botanical garden once. I hope to go see more now. Thank you!


    Haven's A-Z

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  29. Great way to start off the A - Z! Makes me want to travel even more.

    Cat
    http://catsstuff.blogspot.com

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  30. Hi Nikki!

    Beautiful blog! I'm returning the follow :D I look forward to reading more of your beautiful posts for the challenge.

    Happy Monday,
    Jen

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  31. I"m just drooling. I want to go there! Gorgeous. And have to ask, is that a little dressed up BUNNY in your icon? Is it real?? Thanks for visitingn my brontosaurus B post. Now working on C for centipede! See you tmorrow!

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    1. It is! I love that bunny. I'm not sure where the original picture came from, but I'm pretty sure it's real. I want to adopt him right away!

      I'm coming to visit you and read about your centipedes right now :)

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  32. A truly wonderful post, Nikki. The Great-Granny gardens are quite interesting. I don't think I've heard of gardens which cater for people suffering from Dementia.Awesome! Can't wait to read the rest of your posts.

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    1. Thank you Cecilia. The gardens are really interesting and have so many different parts to them - I only had space to talk about a few. I'm coming to visit your blog now :)

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  33. Wow, what a great idea to design certain parts of the gardens for specific groups - I've never heard of a place like that before!

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  34. Spectacular photos and what a great theme! I love finding new reads through the A-Z Challenge.

    I'm following now. Lead on!

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  35. Those pictures are lovely. It makes me want to visit...

    I love the idea of a "scented garden." :)

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  36. Wow! Such beautiful pictures. It looks like a nice place to go and read a book or write.

    Cherie Reich - Author

    Surrounded by Books Reviews

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    1. I agree. They have some little fountains too, it would be lovely to spend an afternoon reading in the sunshine :)

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  37. I love the flowers! Great post! Thanks for visiting my blog page.

    A Ladybug's Life

    Sonnia

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  38. Hello nikki!
    lovely post! i love these pics, i love nature!
    thank you for your sweet comment!
    amy

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  39. I love the pictures. Makes me want to go there.

    Jessica
    A to Z Blogger & SF/Fantasy Writer
    Visions of Other Worlds

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  40. Great pictures. My allergies are acting up just looking at them! :)

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    1. Aw, sorry. Next time I'll post a picture of some allergy medication underneath so that you can look at that one and recover :D

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  41. Beautiful pictures!

    Thank you for your comment on my blog. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your A-Z!

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  42. Beautiful! Thank you for the tour.

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  43. The photographs are very beautiful and the narrative was very interesting. Thank You.

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  44. Thank you for visiting my blog the other day. I joined your blog. It is beautiful. The photographs of the botanical gardens are wonderful.

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  45. These are beautiful pictures.

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  46. Beautiful pictures and interesting dialogue. You could write an ad for the gardens. It made me want to visit.

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    1. Thank you, what a lovely thing to say :)

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  47. (Visiting from A to Z and now following.)

    Botanical gardens - that is so cool! I love this post. I love visiting places like botanical gardens, too. The Natural History Museum and the Geology Museum sound right up my alley, as well. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thank you very much for following me! It's a lovely place, so many different gardens, beautiful buildings and amazing museums to wander around!

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  48. I love your pictures. Very interesting stories---

    Lindi P.

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  49. You are so right about botanical gardens and how they feed the soul! Sounds like Oslo is considerate of the needs of the visitors.

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  50. Beautiful pics! And how inspiring! I want to base something in my books on this!

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    1. That sounds lovely, if you visit the link I provided, you will find many more pictures and information :)

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  51. Gorgeous pictures! Really enjoyed your post. :)

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  52. Ooo...this is a great B topic! Your pictures are making me wish for spring weather!

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  53. Hi Nikki. New follower and fellow A to Z-er. I love to hit the botanical gardens when I travel to discover flowers and plants that I don't have at home.

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    1. What an incredibly lovely garden! I especially like how it is targeted towards different groups - what a thoughtful and inclusive thing to do!

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    2. It's a nice way to experience a new country, isn't it? I have a friend who buys tea that uses herbs and flowers native to the country. I think it's a lovely souvenir!

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  54. How lovely! I hope to be able to travel to all sorts of places over the world someday- this would definitely be on my list! Thanks for popping over to say hi!
    Lucy Jane @ Lucy Jane's Writing Desk

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  55. I love botanical gardens. We have one here in Memphis and I visit often. It is so relaxing and calming. Thanks for posting and reminding me that its Spring and the gardens should be beautiful now.

    Can't wait to read your other posts during the A to Z Challenge.

    Pamela
    Still Dating My Spouse
    www.stilldatingmyspouse.com

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  56. My husband loves botanical gardens so we have visited a lot. That looks like a gorgeous example :D


    Aurora Celeste
    yasff.blogspot.com
    dramaticthreads.com

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  57. Your pictures are fabulous. I want to go there now.
    Good post.

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