De Hortus is located at Plantage Middenlaan, east side of the centre, near the zoo (Artis). It is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. There are several greenhouses where you can see plants from all over the world and sense different climate.
There were so many plants that I stopped following the descriptions after a while. It was great to walk and breathe the air in every space and in the garden. The most beautiful room for me was where the big family of cactuses were living. A cool room after tropical heat. I loved the contrast of these spiky plants and the stony surroundings.
We admired the small butterflies in one glasshouse. You could see many of them quite close and I captured a few of these with my camera. They looked so fragile and one butterfly was like made of the thinnest glass in the world.
The shape of the garden area is like a triangle beside a canal. The sandy paths between the trees and plants are curvy. This is a big difference compared to the fact, that this cute and great spot of nature is surrounded with busy streets. If you want to take a break, this is a good tip.
This was just so amazing place. A perfect spot to meet a good friend, have a walk, talk, drink coffee and visit a charming museum shop.
Because of the school holiday, it was possible to make your own piece of art from natural materials. I also read from their brochure, that in december de Hortus is taking part to Light Festival (10 dec 2015 - 3 jan 2016). This garden must be seen in every season. Have a good weekend!!
