The Italian Garden at Taxinge Castle

I don't know if you feel the same, but, I'm feeling kind of done being excited about winter and winter pictures. I decided to dig in to my archive for some unpublished pictures of a visit toTaxinge Castle in Sweden from last summer.

Taxinge Castle sits on a piece of property that has changed hands several times since the 1200s. Various kings and noblemen have taken up residence here, but since 1999, Nykvarn County is the owner.

Image of Italian Garden above from www.nykvarn.com

Thankfully, this space is open to the public. The property is beautifully located on lake Mälaren, provides lots of open space and greenery, and there are several themed gardens, where of the Italian Garden is my favorite.

(The ornate bird nest above is not a part of the Italian Garden.)

The Italien Garden is situated on top of the cellar of one of the castle's original orangeries. I don't know much about the orangery, when it was in use and when it was torn down, but I'm curious about whether those walls were part of it or not. I do like the "roomy" feel that the walls create and how you can look in to the room from different areas and see different views. Stone walls have always caught my attention and I love the texture it lends the room. The symmetric, geographic pattern that the boxwood make, appeals to me even though I'm not much of a formal garden lover.

I just felt happy sitting on one of these benches in front of the water fountain on this beautiful day. It was green and lush with beautiful roses and honeysuckle, the sound of the fountain was calming. If it wasn't for my two boys running around chasing each other, treating the Italian Garden as a maze, I could probably have taken a nap right there on the spot.

But, no time for sleeping, coffee and pastries were waiting for us.

Taxinge Castle's Café houses Northern Europe's largest cookie and pastry buffet. With more than 50 different kinds of home-baked pastries, it is not hard to find something that suits you. But... it is hard to make up your mind. Everything looks and tastes great. With your coffee and pastry selected and paid for, you can choose to sit either in the library or outside in the park. I like it outside were the kids can run around while I finnish up licking my plate.

Needless to say, I've been here several times - and I will come back.

From Slottsträdgårdsmästaren, who coincidentally was writing on the same topic, I learned that Taxinge Castle is competing for the title of Sweden's most beautiful garden this year.

Good Luck to Taxinge!