My first German garden encounter was the Englischer Garten. Virtually endless with a river running through and rolling parklands, I began to understand what I had been told before--the Germans have a deep appreciation for nature. Unlike the English with structured perfection or highly bred flowers like a collectors cabinet, the German garden has a less formal framework, which makes the garden more casual, mingled and natural.
I was told from a Munich local that Germans do not have a big tradition of private gardening like Britain or America. They instead use public parks as their landscaping showcase; in Munich alone they have the Botanisher Garten, Hofgarten, and various gardens in city squares. This deeply ingrained love of landscape is most definitely fueled by the floral wonders of the Bavarian Alps.
The floral designs carried these naturalistic ideas to the hotels and floral shops. Instead of using highly designed vases or colorful containers many use naturalistic approaches to design, bringing the outdoors in.
Fresh cut flowers sold by the stem are in the prettiest squares like Marienplatz. This reminded me of my travels throughout France. The purchasing of flowers is personal, enchanting, and wonderfully frivolous at times. Given that you can purchase them in so many ways, the grocery store, the deli, vendors at farmers markets, and fancy floral shops. Each way has its specific purpose. I much prefer purchasing flowers, (for myself) from the local vendors in Union Square, NY. But each place has its reason for it. I suppose the deli flower remains questionable for any friend.
