FanningSparks – Page 53 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

Simple Wall Shelf DIY Tutorial

It all started with a modest wall shelf I spotted at an Airbnb. It caught my eye for its simple functionality and straightforward design. I took several photos thinking that I might want to make it someday. Then I left the idea to simmer.

Fast forward a few months and I’ve been on a roll in the workshop. I decided to design and build a version of that simple wall shelf for our Half Bathroom. I had a do-over and a few missteps but I’m really pleased with the final results. Shown below is my simple wall shelf styled with a few treasured things including the recycled glass beads I bought in South Africa, a black petal-shaped bowl I made in my Hand Building Pottery Class, my favorite blown glass mermaid and an antique glass bottle used as a reed diffuser.

At only 18” wide x 19” high, this simple wall shelf doesn’t require a lot of space. All it needs is a few carefully styled items to add personality and punch. Today’s post includes detailed step-by-step instructions so you can make your own Simple Wall Shelf.
Supplies Needed
The following supplies are needed for this simple wall shelf:
. Wood Boards: 7 ft of ½” x 3½”. I used poplar.
. Screws:
… 4 x Size #8 1” length wood screws
… 4 x Size #8 2½” length wood screws
. Wire Nails: 4 x Size #17 ¾“ length
. Knobs: 3 small knobs or hooks with a base of about ½” to 1” diameter and a height of about 1” to 2”. I tried simple wooden knobs repurposed from an Ikea dresser but settled on clear glass knobs. You can use any type of knob or hook you like. Some examples are shown in Step 7.
. Wood Glue
. Wood Filler
. Paint (or preferred finish)

Tools Needed
. Jigsaw (or whatever type of saw you prefer to cut wood)
. Drill with 7/64” countersink bit for Size #8 screws
. Screwdriver
. Hammer
. Nail Punch
. Tape Measure
. Pencil
. Sharp Point: This will be used to indent the wood prior to drilling. A nail or screwdriver tip will work fine.
. Work Surface with Clamps
. Clamps
. Square
TIP: A speed square (aka rafter square) is great for small woodworking projects like this wall shelf. The overhang edge makes it easy to align an edge and ensure an accurate perpendicular line. Plus the handy 7” size is much easier to maneuver than the typical 24″ framing square. The speed square can be used for several other tasks (which admittedly I haven’t even tried) such as measuring angles with the built-in protractor, marking center lines with the built-in pencil notches and measuring rafter angles with the reference markings.

Instructions
Step 1 Cut Wood Parts. Cut the ½” x 3½” board into the following:
. 2 x Shelf 3½“ x 18”
. 2 x Shelf Lip ¾” x 18”
. 2 x Vertical Brace 1¾“ x 19”
. 2 x Horizontal Bar 1¾“ x 9”

Step 2 Cut Notches. Notches in the back of the Shelves are used to attach them to the Vertical Braces. Measuring from the left end, along the back edge of the shelf, mark at: 2¾“, 4½“, 13½“, 15¼“. Finish marking the notches by connecting the 2¾” and 4½” markings at ½“ from the outside edge . Do the same between the 13½“ and 15¼” markings. The result should be two 1¾” x ½“ notches positioned 2¾“ from the ends. Repeat on the second shelf.

TIP: Before starting to cut out the notches with your jigsaw, drill holes in the inside corners. This makes it easier to stop cutting at the right spot. Then use a jigsaw to cut out the notches taking several passes to remove the wood.

Step 3 Test Fit. Mark lines for shelf placement on the Vertical Braces. Measure down 5“ from the top edge and mark a line for the placement of top edge of the top shelf. Measure up 5½“ from the bottom edge and mark a line for the placement of the top edge of the bottom shelf. Assemble the pieces to get familiar with how they fit together and to ensure they fit correctly. Make any necessary adjustments. Pay particular attention to the fit of the notched shelves. Use a pencil to lightly mark front and top of each piece.

Step 4 Drill Parts. Measure and mark the bottom Horizontal Bar for the 3 knobs. Measuring from the left end along the center of the board (at ⅞“), mark with pencil at: 1⅜“, 4½“, 7⅝”. Take note of how your selected knobs are designed to attach. For instance, are threaded bolts attached to the knobs or do you need to screw them on from the back? Prepare the holes accordingly.
Measure and mark both Vertical Braces for all screw holes as follows:
. To attach top Shelf: 5¼” from top edge and centered at ⅞“; countersink from back
. To attach bottom Shelf: 5¼” from bottom edge and centered at ⅞“; countersink from back
. To attach unit to wall: 4½” from top edge and centered at ⅞“; countersink from front
. To attach top Horizontal Bar: on the narrow outside edge, ⅞“ from top and centered at ¼“; countersink from outside
. To attach bottom Horizontal Bar: on narrow outside edge, ⅞“ from bottom and centered at ¼“; countersink from outside
Indent at marks with the sharp point. Drill pilot holes with countersink at marks.

TIP: It can be tricky to drill the last set of holes in the Vertical Brace because the deep holes are drilled into the narrow face. I found it much easier to keep the drill level and plumb using a simple right angle corner jig I cut from scrap wood. Remove the jig to finish drilling the hole.

Step 5 Attach Shelf Lips. Attach a Shelf Lip to the front edge of each Shelf. Align the bottoms and sides; the front of the Lip sits ¼” above the Shelf. Glue and clamp the Lip in place. For good measure, use a couple of wire nails to secure in place. Use nail punch to recess the wire nails.

Step 6 Assemble Parts. Assemble the Vertical Braces and Horizontal Bars into a rectangle. Ensure the countersunk holes on the outside edges of the Vertical Braces are facing out, the countersunk holes for attaching shelves are at the back and the countersunk holes in the Horizontal Bar for the knobs are at the back. Ensure edges are aligned. Use speed square to ensure corners are square. Glue and screw in place with 2½” screws. Clamp until dry.
Attach the Shelves to the Vertical Braces. Use the placement lines made in Step 3 aligning top edges of shelves with lines. Ensure back edges are aligned. Pay particular attention to the shelves using the speed square to ensure they are level and square. Glue and screw in place with 1” screws. Clamp until dry.

Step 7 Attach Knobs. As noted in the Supplies Needed section, you can use any type of knob or hook you like. I tried a few options including the simple wooden knob (shown in center) and an embellished version (shown on left). In the end, I chose the simple glass knobs (shown on right) because they don’t compete for attention with the items I displayed on the shelves. Attach your selected knobs to the bottom Horizontal Bar.

Step 8 Finish and Paint. Finish the wall shelf by filling the nail holes and any gaps around the notches. Sand smooth. Prime and paint.
Step 9 Hang Shelf Unit. Hang the wall shelf through the drilled holes on the Vertical Braces.
Step 10 Style and Enjoy. Have fun styling your shelves!

More Info

Please share or pin this image for future reference.

Looking for more beginner woodworking projects? How about one of these?
. The Ultimate Maker’s Cabinet
. Pyramid Trellis
. Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse
. Air Bee-n-Bee House

Today’s Takeaways

1. Whether travelling physically or virtually, take note of functional and decorative items that catch your eye.
2. Give ideas time to evolve and crystallize.
3. Consider transforming a blank wall into a miniature gallery using a simple wall shelf styled with a few treasured items.

Make Nature Tutorials Wildlife Wood

AirBee-n-Bee House DIY Tutorial

As promised in my previous post about Insect Hotels for Bees and Other Pollinators, I’d like to share my version of an insect hotel in today’s post. I’ve dubbed it the “AirBee-n-Bee House”. It’s targeted to tunnel-nesting native bees such as Mason Bees and Leaf-Cutting Bees. Our AirBee-n-Bee House has been open for business for about a week but we haven’t received any reservations yet! So I can’t report on its effectiveness but I can report that it looks really cool in our front yard.
This post provides easy, step-by-step instructions to make your own AirBee-n-Bee House. There are two components to this project: a wood frame in the shape of a house and nesting materials that fill the frame. We’ll start by building the wooden House Frame.
Supplies Needed for House Frame
The following supplies are needed to make the wooden House Frame. Note: You will also need nesting materials which are described below in Step 8.
. Wood Boards: 5 ft of 1” x 8” (actual size is ¾” x 7 ¼ ”). I used poplar.
. Wood Slats: 6 ft of ¼” x 1½ ” This product are sometimes called lattice molding.
. Screws:
… 6 x Size #8 1¼” length wood screws
… 4 x Size #8 1¾” length wood screws
… 4 x Size #8 ¾” length wood screws or appropriate size screws to attach your hangers.
. Hangers with Wire: Choose sturdy hangers as the finished bee house is quite heavy.
. Netting: Approximately 10” x 20” of plastic netting. This will be attached to the back of the structure to help keep the nesting materials in place. Any type of netting or exterior-grade open weave fabric should work.
. Painter’s Tape (not shown)
Tools Needed
. Jigsaw (or whatever type of saw you prefer to cut wood)
. Drill with 2 drill bits:
… 7/64” bit with countersink for pre-drilling Size #8 screws
… 5/16” bit for drilling tunnel holes
. Screwdriver
. Tape Measure
. Ruler: Yardstick or other straight edge
. Pencil
. Angle Finder: To measure angles and set jigsaw blade accordingly. I really like the digital Angle-Rule, a 2-in-1 ruler and angle finder, from GemRed.
. Sharp Point: This will be used to indent the wood prior to drilling. A nail or screwdriver tip will work fine.
. Work Surface with Clamps
. Stapler
. Scissors
. Pruners
Measurements
The design and dimensions of the House Frame are shown below.

Instructions
Step 1 Cut Wood Parts Cut the 1” x 8” board into the following:
. Over Roof 7 ¼” x 10”
. Under Roof 7 ¼” x 9 ¼”
. 2 x Sides 6 ½” x 15 ½”
. Bottom 6 ½” x 7”
Cut top edges of the Sides at 45⁰angle.
Step 2 Test Fit Assemble the pieces to get familiar with how they fit together and to ensure they fit correctly. Make any necessary adjustments. Use a pencil to lightly mark front and top of each piece.

Step 3 Attach Side to Bottom On the bottom outside edge of the Side, measure up 3/8” and mark for 2 screws. Use a sharp point to make an indentation on the marks. This will make it easier to position the drill bit.
As shown below, clamp Bottom along 6½ ” edge to hold it steady and level. Hold Side on top of Bottom, squaring corner and aligning bottom edges. Drill pilot holes at marks with countersink bit. Attach with size #8 1¼” length screws. This will result in an L-shaped piece.
Step 4 Attach Other Side to Bottom Repeat Step 3 to attach other Side to Bottom. This will result in a U-shaped piece.
Step 5 Assemble Roof Use the same approach as outlined in Step 3, to attach the Over Roof to the Under Roof. The roof angle will be 90⁰.
Step 6 Attach Roof to Box Use a pencil to lightly mark placement lines on both sides of both Roof parts. On the inside lower edge, measure up 3⅛” from the bottom and mark a line. On the outside lower edge, measure up 4 ¼” from the bottom and mark a line. Place the Roof on the box aligning the Sides with the inside placement lines. The resulting angle where the Roof and Sides connect should be 45⁰. Adjust if necessary.
Mark and indent for screws along the outside placement line on both Roof pieces. Note there is a ¾” overhang on the front edge of the Roof but not on the back. Screws should be placed about 2 ½“ from the front edge to allow for the overhang. Looking ahead this is where the screws will be placed.

Re-align the top of the Sides with the inside placement line. Align back edges. Use tape to hold pieces in place. Drill pilot holes and screw together using size #8 1¾ ” screws.
Step 7 Insert Cross Pieces Use four pieces of wood slat to create 2 X’s inside the House Frame. Cut a piece of wood slat to 16 ¼”. Slide into frame to ensure a snug fit. Adjust if necessary. Repeat with 3 more pieces. These pieces fit snugly but are not attached. They will serve to hold the nesting materials in place.

The House Frame is complete and now the fun begins! It’s time to put in the nesting materials. Position the materials in any way you like. You can create a variety of patterns and designs. See my “Insect Hotels – FanningSparks Favs” board on Pinterest for more ideas.

Step 8 Gather and Prepare Nesting Materials Tunnel-nesting bees prefer hollow tubes with a 5/16” diameter hole. Cut the tubes to 6 ½ “ length to fit inside this House Frame. Most reference sources recommend using natural materials for these tubes. I foraged most of my materials from our yard and surrounding woods but you can also use paper (parchment or butcher paper is recommended) to roll tubes. Simply roll the paper around a pencil and use tape to keep it rolled.
Some reference sources recommend keeping the nesting area small. If it is too large, there is a risk of attracting an unnatural number of bees thus inviting pests and predators. To mitigate this risk, I deliberately filled some sections of my wooden House Frame with small bamboo rods (see notes about Filler below).
Hollow Reeds: Dried pampas grass stems provide natural tubes. I used pruners to cut the reeds to 6 ½” and then peeled the layers apart to create the tubes. Of course, the resulting tubes aren’t perfectly uniform but most are the desired size.
Drilled Tree Branches: Gather small fallen or pruned tree branches and cut to 6 ½” lengths. Drill 5/16” holes into the ends.
Filler: I cut bamboo from our yard and trimmed it into 6 ½” lengths to use as filler. A few of the tubes might be big enough for the bees to nest inside but most will serve as filler and create natural cavities and hollows.
Decorative Elements (optional): We have a substantial stack of scrap PVC pipe, so I used some to create a decorative flower shape. It is merely cosmetic and definitely optional. I cut 7 pieces of 1” PVC pipe to 6 ½” lengths and wrapped a strand of thin wire around the bundle to hold it together.
There are thousands of pesky sweetgum fruits (ie the spiny seed pods pictured below) and pine cones lying around our property so it’s nice to finally find a use for a few of them. I used them as decorative elements. It’s easier to position and secure the sweetgum fruit if it is attached to a stick. Drill a small hole into the end of a 6 ½” piece of bamboo. Then thread a piece of thin wire through the bamboo, attach it to the stem of a sweetgum fruit on one end and anchor it through the drilled holes on the other end. Pine cones can be wired in a similar way.
Step 9 Place Nesting Materials in House Frame Fill the House Frame with the nesting materials. Simply lay hollow reeds, bamboo stems and drilled tree branches around the Cross Pieces. Ensure the final placement is snug and tight so pieces will stay in place. As noted above, you can position the materials in any way you like to create patterns and designs.

My idea was to create a simple flower motif with PVC pipe representing the flower petals and tree branches representing the flower stem and leaves. Sweetgum fruits and a pine cone dress up the flower bloom.

Step 10 Finishing Up Remove any visible pencil marks. The final step is to attach the netting and hangers. Staple the piece of netting to the back of the House Frame. This is intended to help keep the nesting materials in place while still allowing access and air flow. Trim off the excess netting with scissors. Attach the hangers at the top of the Sides using size #8 ¾” length wood screws (or appropriate size for your hangers). Attach hanging wire.
I deliberately didn’t paint or finish the wood to avoid exposing the bees to harsh materials. Plus I prefer to let it weather naturally. When it comes time to clean the bee house—it’s recommended to do so annually—you can replace the old tubes and reeds with fresh ones. The Xerces Society provides clear instructions on proper nest maintenance (see More Info below).
Your AirBee-n-Bee House is ready to install. It should be securely attached to a tree or wall. Here’s our new AirBee-n-Bee House eagerly awaiting our first guests!

More Info

You may want to check out my previous post, Insect Hotels for Bees and Other Pollinators, to learn about the important role pollinators play in the human food supply. It also includes information about the various species of bees and their preferred habitats.
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation provides a comprehensive fact sheet on Tunnel Nests for Native Bees which includes clear instructions on proper nest maintenance.
As noted above, I created a Pinterest board of Insect Hotels to share examples I’ve found.
Please pin this image to share or for future reference.

Today’s Takeaways

1. The featured AirBee-n-Bee House is a fun and easy woodworking project.
2. Many factors must be considered in creating a safe bee house.
3. Proper care and maintenance are required to maintain a safe bee house.

Nature Wildlife

Insect Hotels for Bees and Other Pollinators

Over the last year, I’ve noticed large insect hotels popping up in botanical gardens and public parks. These structures are designed to host pollinators and other beneficial insects. The ones I’ve seen are quite elaborate—comprised of multiple compartments with a variety of materials. The first insect hotel I saw was located at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh. It was cleverly labelled the “Insect Inn”. The accompanying signage explained the benefits: “Bug hotels are created using natural materials for the purpose of attracting beneficial insects. Different insects will use this structure for shelter, mating and hibernation. These insects are important for garden health, helping to pollinate many plants while also eating pests.”

The drilled wood, for instance is targeted for “Solitary bees, like Mason and Carpenter bees, [who] use holes in wood to keep their young safe. They dig in and then partition small compartments in the wood. Here they lay eggs. Their young rest here until they are mature enough to fly and fend for themselves.”

The second insect hotel I saw was at the Retiro Park in Madrid. It has a similar purpose “The “Insect Hotel” is a structure designed to favor the nesting of pollinating insects as well as their winter survival.”

Early this spring, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation, at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, titled It’s All About Bees by Fred Smith of New Urban Bees. (Thank you, Fred, for a great presentation!) Fred promotes the presence of bees and pollinators in an urban setting. He explained there are numerous varieties of bees. Fred divided garden bees into 3 categories—honeybees, bumble bees and solitary bees—and explained the nesting requirements for each. He demonstrated how to make solitary bee nesting boxes and explained how he’s experimenting with bumble bee nests. He also introduced the idea of small honeybee hives as a realistic alternative for urban settings. His passion for bees was contagious and I soon found myself delving further into the world of bees.

One of the websites Fred recommends is the UGA (University of Georgia) Bee Extension Service (see More Info below). UGA has a graduate-level Honey Bee Program within its College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. The program focuses on bee biology, bee management and crop pollination. I learned about the importance of bees and other insects in pollination of plants that are important to humans.
“They pollinate:
. 1/3 of the food you eat.
. approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices and medicines.
. 75% of all flowering plants.
Most of the fruits and vegetables you find in the grocery store would no longer be available if honey bees and other pollinators were to go extinct.”

Just as Fred shared with us during his presentation, the UGA website explains there are other pollinating bees besides the honeybee including bumble bees, soil-nesting bees (eg Southeastern blueberry bees), other tunnel-nesting bees (eg bees in the genus Osmia ) and carpenter bees.

Another website recommended by Fred is Bees of Georgia by the Georgia Gwinnet College (see More Info below). This website strives to make it easy to identify bees and provides clear information for farmers and the general public. I learned there are over 17,000 species of bees in the world with nearly 3,500 bee species in North America alone. I learned appearances differ by size, color, pattern, presence of hair, and presence of pollen baskets while behaviors differ by type of flight, plants associated with and nesting habit.
This got me wondering… could I spot these differences to determine a bee species and be more specific about the bees shown in this post? Here’s a side by side comparison of three of my favorite bee photos. Until now, I simply thought the bee on the camellia (top) was a honeybee and the others (bottom) were bumble bees.

I couldn’t figure it out from the Bees of Georgia website so I turned to the iNaturalist community for help. iNaturalist is a browser-based nature identification application with a network of specialists and enthusiasts helping to identify wildlife. It’s a great way to contribute to “citizen science data for science and conservation“. iNaturalist also has a cool mobile app called Seek which leverages modern technology for more immediate identification. (I raved about this app in a previous post Seek to Identify Wildlife with this Fun App). Within a few hours, the experts weighed in and solved the mystery.

Here’s a screenshot from iNaturalist showing one of my “observations”. I simply uploaded the photo, recorded when and where it was taken, and tagged it as “Bees”.

One might wonder why all this matters. The Bees of Georgia website makes it crystal clear: “Reliance on a single insect species, the honeybee, for the pollination of over 1/3 of the human food supply can be dangerous. Indeed, this is especially true considering that honeybee populations are in decline … The best pollination alternative to honeybees is the native bees already present in the local environment.” The UGA website provides this guidance, “In general, bees need nest sites and enough food (from blooming plants) to produce offspring. These facts are the foundation of any bee conservation program.”

To make it real, I decided to design and build my own insect hotel. I chose to focus on tunnel-nesting native bees using the information I learned from Fred and the UGA website. It’s been a fun project. you can find all the details, including a full tutorial with step-by-step instructions, in the AirBee-n-Bee House DIY Tutorial post.

More Info

Check out the websites for the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh and Retiro Park in Madrid for information about these great gardens.
New Urban Bees is Fred Smith’s website. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences’ Honey Bee Program website and the Bees of Georgia website are packed with information.
Check out my previous post Seek to Identify Wildlife with this Fun App. To learn more, access the iNaturalist website or find the “Seek by iNaturalist” app on Google Play or the App Store.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Bees and other pollinators play a critical role in the human food supply.
2. iNaturalist is a great resource for identification of wildlife.
3. Consider providing nest sites and blooming plants for bees and other pollinators.

Europe Gardening Nature Travel

A Virtual Stroll in Ticehurst

This is the third post in a series on virtual travel. This week, we’ll be visiting an English country garden in Southeast England.

Pashley Manor Gardens are located in Ticehurst in East Sussex. It’s a beautiful country manor, dating back to 1550, in a charming Tudor style.

The setting and house are lovely and the gardens are spectacular. There are 11 acres of beautiful flower borders, handsome hardscaping and gorgeous vistas. The garden is designed around “garden rooms” which break up the space into separate areas and encourage visitors to move from one area to another. At Pashley Manor, each garden room is planted in a different color theme. Here’s a look at a white and silver garden room.

The below garden room showcases yellow, gold and white.

Here’s a closer look at this section of the garden. Notice the perfect match between the colors of the tulip and the surrounding foliage. This is a great illustration of a garden design technique called “color echoes”. Gardeners select plants in different tints of the same color to create harmony through repetition.

Here’s another example of a color echo—pink shows up in the edges of the main tulips, in the small flowers (I believe they’re forget-me-nots) and the secondary tulips.

Here’s an interesting plant pairing—the vibrant orange tulips shine beside the burgundy heuchera.

This is a broader view of the same flower border. The statue off in the distance provides the perfect focal point. Garden designers use focal points to draw and direct the visitor. It provides the eye with a place to rest—to pause and take in the entire view.

The artwork, “Mr Bennett’s Daughter”, is by eminent Sussex sculptor Philip Jackson.

There’s another Philip Jackson sculpture in the gardens which has an intriguing story.

This piece is of Anne Boleyn and was specifically commissioned by the owners of Pashley Manor. History buffs may be interested to learn that Pashley Manor has a historical connection to the Boleyn family. From their website: “The original house at Pashley was on the moated island and was probably a hunting lodge. This house was owned at the outset of the Wars of the Roses by Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, Lord Mayor of London in 1457 and great-grandfather of Anne Boleyn. His son, Sir William, and then William’s eldest son, Sir Thomas, who held court at Pashley in 1518, and eventually Sir Thomas’ brother, Sir James Boleyn – uncles to Anne Boleyn, each owned Pashley in turn.” Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was the second wife of King Henry VIII of England and was queen consort from 1533 until 1536. She was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I of England. This Anne Boleyn sculpture is the focal point on a small island overlooking a pond.

The gardens are designed with the visitor’s comfort in mind. There are quiet places to rest…

…with pretty views to enjoy.

There’s a charming café at the back of the manor.

It was the perfect place to duck out of the rain (“It is England, after all!”), grab a bite to eat and enjoy the fragrance of the wisteria.

More Info

You can learn more about these delightful gardens on the Pashley Manor Gardens website. Check out South East England’s official tourism website for more information about this charming area.
More of Philip Jackson’s splendid sculptures can be viewed on his website.
There are 3 posts in this series about virtual travel:
. A Virtual Visit to Lisse about the flower fields of Lisse in the Netherlands
. Virtual Hanami Around Aizu about the cherry blossoms in Japan
. A Virtual Stroll in Ticehurst (this post).
You may also enjoy the following posts:
. The Allure of the Waterlily includes a visit to the village of Giverny France
. Charleston’s Glorious Window Boxes showcases spring in this beloved city of the US Southeast
. Spring Into a Garden Tour features the springtime gardens of Athens Georgia
. Camellia Road Trip shares a recent road trip throughout the US Southeast to visit 5 outstanding camellia gardens.

Today’s Takeaways

Consider incorporating some of the garden design techniques viewed at Pashley Manor Gardens into your own garden:
1. Garden rooms
2. Focal points
3. Color echoes.

Asia Japan Nature Plants Travel

Virtual Hanami Around Aizu

In last week’s blog post, I shared a virtual visit to the flower fields of Lisse in the Netherlands. I’m going to stick with that theme and share another treasured travel memory. This week’s destination is the Aizu region of Japan, in Fukushima Perfecture, to see the cherry blossoms.
Flower viewing, known as hanami, is a beloved tradition in Japan. Every spring when the cherry trees bloom, people flock to the sakura (cherry blossoms) to admire and celebrate their fleeting beauty. The blossoms last only a week or two making them even more special. Bloom times vary from location to location and from variety to variety extending the overall season from late March to early May.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to partake in this beloved tradition. I was living in Singapore at the time and had a need to travel to Tokyo for business reasons. My colleague and I extended our trip over the weekend and joined a local tour group for the hanami trip. (Special thanks to my friends, and former colleagues, Judy and Xiaoyan!)
It’s no secret I love flowers so a trip celebrating cherry blossoms was guaranteed to be enjoyable. But it was so much more than I expected. The sakura were beautiful. The sights were picturesque and steeped in history. The tour was well organized and executed flawlessly. If I recall correctly, Judy and I were the only participants who did not speak Japanese. Luckily our friend Xiaoyan was able to translate for us. We spent Saturday night at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese hot springs inn, in Aizu Ashinomaki Onsen. We relaxed in the hot springs baths and feasted on a traditional multi-course dinner. Staying in a ryokan was an experience in and of itself. The trip was authentically Japanese and a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Here are my favorite photos from my hanami trip in the Aizu region of Japan. In this lovely scene, the sakura are beautifully showcased by the moody waters, spring greenery and distant mountains.

Here’s a closer look at the beautiful pink and white blossoms suspended over the water.

One of the places we visited was Tsuruga Castle in the city of Aizu-Wakamatsu. The original castle, which was built over 600 years ago, played a key role in samurai and medieval cultures.
The ancient stone walls provide a striking contrast for the delicate flowers.
Another highlight of the tour was visiting the Miharu Takizakura. This ancient cherry tree, a weeping higan, is over 1,000 years old. It is designated a National Natural Monument of Japan. It is absolutely stunning!
Understandably, we were not the only people who wanted to view this ancient wonder. In the below photo you can see visitors politely queuing up for their turn to get closer to the tree.

These sites were spectacular but I was most delighted to find a quiet country lane near our ryokan. I spent a few early morning hours under my own sakura canopy.

Without a doubt, if I were to take this trip today I would have a lot more (and I like to think better) photos to share. Regardless, I hope this post helps convey the magic of the sakura. My hanami experience taught me that nature’s seasons are cause for celebration. The cycles of the natural world are reassuringly predictable—spring will come and the cherry trees will bloom. No matter where I’m located, I look for their fleeting beauty. Here are a few more recent sakura photos.

More Info

You can learn more about hanami and the sites mentioned in this post on the Japan Guide website.
You may also enjoy the following posts:
. A Virtual Visit to Lisse about the flower fields of Lisse in the Netherlands
. The Allure of the Waterlily includes a visit to the village of Giverny France
. Charleston’s Glorious Window Boxes showcases spring in this beloved city of the US Southeast
. Spring Into a Garden Tour features the springtime gardens of Athens Georgia
. Camellia Road Trip shares a recent road trip throughout the US Southeast to visit 5 outstanding camellia gardens.

Today’s Takeaways

1. The cycles of the natural world are reassuringly predictable—especially in uncertain times.
2. Specific flowers can bring to mind special places and memories.
3. Consider reliving your own travel memories while you stay-in-place.

Europe Gardening Nature Netherlands Travel

A Virtual Visit to Lisse

We’ve all had our wings clipped—for good reason, of course—making virtual travel the only way to go. That’s OK by me—I have lots of travel adventures I’m happy to relive. In today’s post, I’d like to share memories of spring in The Netherlands.
My husband and I lived in Cologne Germany from 2008-2011. We made the most of this incredible opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe. One place we loved to visit was the Netherlands. I feel a special connection to this captivating country because it is where both my mother and father were born and raised. Being able to skip over to the Netherlands from our temporary home in Cologne was an unimaginable delight! We were, in fact, only about 3 hours from the small village of Moordrecht where my parents lived before immigrating to Canada.
Every spring during our stay, we traveled to the Dutch town of Lisse to revel in the spring flowers. Lisse is famous for its flower fields. It is the area where flowering bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, are grown to be harvested and sold as bulbs around the world. Flower bulbs are big business in the Netherlands. Estimates show that around 8.5 billion flower bulbs, approximately 60% of the world’s supply, are produced in this small country every year. That’s a lot of flowers! Few sights are as spectacular as the fields of Lisse in full bloom!

One of the best places from which to view these fields is from the windmill at the Keukenhof. The Keukenhof, if you’ve never heard of it, is a world-famous spring garden. According to their website, “The Keukenhof is the international and independent showcase for the Dutch floricultural sector, with a special emphasis on flower bulbs. … The park’s focus is on the 7 million spring-flowering bulbs, which allow the 100 participating companies to show their living catalog.” The name “Keukenhof” describes its much humbler origins (“keuken” is Dutch for kitchen and “hof” means yard or garden) as a kitchen garden.
Here’s the traditional Dutch windmill at Keukenhof. Visitors can enter the windmill and view the flower fields of Lisse from the deck.

The Keukenhof gardens are awe-inspiring! Wide swatches of brilliant color are showcased against the spring green foliage.

The gardens are meticulously manicured—every flower is groomed to look its very best. Hyacinths, for instance, may be propped up individually. The small inconspicuous stakes are visible in the below photo.

That’s why I love this photo… “Oops, who missed that pink hyacinth?”

The tulips didn’t seem to need extra support. Here are a few close-ups of these beloved harbingers of spring.

It wouldn’t be the Netherlands without water. The floral displays are enhanced by canals, streams, ponds and water features throughout the gardens.

Sculptures and artwork are beautifully showcased in this extraordinary setting. This is the iconic Harmonisch evenwicht (Harmonic Balance) by Carlo A. van Kervel. If I remember correctly, these elegant, white forms represent tulip bulbs.

This intriguing work, Zintuigen (Senses) by Berita Valk, shines amid all the greenery.

These two handsome works are by Marco Overdiep—Binnen-buiten (Inside Outside) on the left and Levensritme (Rhythm of Life) on the right.

Predictably, it’s impossible to leave all this beauty empty-handed. I purchased this stunning bouquet of tulips for only a few euro.
The generously-sized bouquet filled several vases shown here in the kitchen of our flat in Cologne.

We had tulips arranged throughout the flat—the perfect reminder of our latest visit to the flower fields of Lisse!

More Info

Sadly, due to the corona virus, the Keukenhof did not open as scheduled for 2020. Their website states they are monitoring the situation regarding a delayed opening. Visiting the Keukenhof may not be an option this year but if you ever have the opportunity, don’t miss it! Learn more on the Keukenhof website.
By the way, you may have noticed there are very few other visitors in the photos I took at the Keukenhof. That’s notably unusual given the Keukenhof typically has an average of 26,000 visitors a day during its 8-week season. I learned the trick was to stay overnight in the town of Lisse. This allowed me to walk over and enter the gardens the minute they opened.
You can learn more about Lisse and the Netherlands’ flower fields on the official Visit Holland website.
If you enjoyed this post about the flower fields of Lisse Netherlands, you might also enjoy the following posts:
. The Allure of the Waterlily includes a visit to the village of Giverny France
. Charleston’s Glorious Window Boxes showcases spring in this beloved city of the US Southeast
. Spring Into a Garden Tour features the springtime gardens of Athens Georgia
. Camellia Road Trip shares a recent road trip throughout the US Southeast to visit 5 outstanding camellia gardens.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Virtual travel is a great option when it isn’t possible to travel physically.
2. Some of the most beloved travel destinations are courtesy of Mother Nature.
3. Consider tailoring your itinerary to visit popular destinations during off-peak times.

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