Enchanting Gardens

In the gardens of the hotels we've stayed at as well as restaurants and other tourist attractions we've visited in Thailand I have found myself drawn to beautiful little displays of water plants, eccentric statues and other collections of ephemera.


Some are religious, some are frivolous, but all seem to be made with love and care and a desire to entertain visitors to the space. The gardens I love have a rustic charm - they are a bit overgrown, with pots made from recycled tyres and weathered earthenware, and embrace the aesthetic that is known in Japan as wabi-sabi - imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. 

I have been inspired to think about creating my own little enchanting garden space when I return home (or possibly on our balcony in Bhutan?). A little area to sit and for visitors to discover and smile. Here are some photos I've taken - imagine yourself walking through a lush garden and coming across these.

 

 

 

 

Gardens also come alive and transform at night with sparkling lights and lanterns. It means lingering in gardens after dark still feels safe and inviting.

 

 

Which are your favourites?