How the Dutch garden

Blooming Beautiful

As I've mentioned, my sister is an avid gardener. Subscribing to gardening magazines, trips to local gardens and even this year, to London for the prestigious Chelsea flower show, all for inspiration and ideas. She's translated these ideas into a lovely country garden surrounding her home in Rockanje, a small town near the Strand or beach off the North Sea, within commuting distance of Rotterdam and the Europort.

She's joined in this passion for gardening by almost the entire population of the Netherlands. An important plant and flower growing region, the industry is worth millions, if not billions, of euros worth of trade per year. But it's not just an industry, it's an obsession with the populace. Flowers are fresh, inexpensive and considered a necessity- rather than a luxury- for every day life. Every shop girl can afford a bouquet or two, and every tiny city flat boasts at least a few planted bushes or shrubs. With the long, dreary winters, plants lift the soul and speak of spring in gentle wispers. Dutch tulips are justifiably famous.

But it's not just tulips. Every kind of flower, shrub and plant imaginable has a fan club here. We joined hordes of them today in a heaving crowd at the yearly Bos and Burcht (Woods and Blooms) plant fair. What exactly is a plant fair? It's a educational, colorful and fun collection of vendors, demonstrations, exhibits, clubs and charity groups, brought together to celebrate and promote the love of gardening (and sell products, services and ideas of course).

So off we trundle to Oostvorne, a town near her home in Rockanje. It has a population of about 6,000. In the centre of Oostvoorne are the ruins of a motte-and-bailey castle, built around the second half of the 12th century by the Lords of Voorne. Motte-and-bailey castles were built in the 11th and 12th centuries, and were favoured as a relatively cheap but effective defensive fortification that could repel most small attacks . (Any wonder that the Dutch were so fond of them?)

A motte (in French) is a raised mound in the form of a small, often artificial hill and topped with a wooden or stone structure known as a keep. The earth for the mound would be taken from a ditch, dug around the motte or around the whole castle, often forming a moat. The bailey would typically contain a hall, stables for the horses and cattle, a chapel, and huts for the nobleman's people.

Around Oostvorne's partially restored castle is the town park, where the garden fair was held. Driving into town, lines of parked cars and people walking in groups signaled that this wasn't just an ordinary Saturday market, this was an EVENT. We quickly parked (on a grass verge, step out carefully to avoid the dog bombs) and walked several blocks passed stately brick homes, each sporting their own carefully tended front garden. Near the town square, cafes packed with fair goers abounded. Then the booths began, and we were soon in the thick of gardening heaven. Booths of plant growers, tool makers, flower arrangers, potters, garden furniture suppliers were interspersed with charity groups and craft demonstrations. Of special interest was a contest among school groups for "Most Creative Scarecrow". There were musical groups playing, outdoor eateries and great fun to be had for only a few euro. After a tour of the keep combined with some serious consideration of new additions to Eleanor's garden, we strolled back towards the car. On the way, we stopped in at the deli/speciality gourmet and organic vegetable shop. I could have spent the rest of the day in there. Chocolate AND cheese in the same store? Have I died and gone to heaven?. Of course, my 'gratis/for nix" radar signaled "free samples" and I started tasting the treats available on the counter. I almost passed out from sheer joy at a special delicasy, small roasted peppers stuffed with spiced cream cheese, marinated in olive oil. I just COULD NOT believe how good it tasted, it was like tasting milk chocolate for the first time. I almost swooned with ectasy and the shop girls just giggled nervously. Who is this insane American and why hasn't she ever tasted such a common treat before? She must live seriously deprived life.

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