Angela Youngman

Between 1800 and 1960, gardening underwent a massive transformation, changing almost beyond recognition. It was a period when the concept of gardening as a leisure activity emerged, along with a vast array of changes in garden styles, plant breeding, the arrival of horticultural societies and shows, brands such as Suttons Seeds, and mass market tourism to garden sites. New retail styles even emerged with the advent of garden centres and containerised plants. Entrepreneurs took advantage of new technology to create products such as lawnmowers, the Wardian case terrarium and the strawberry canopy. Plant specialists searched out exotic plants from far-flung corners of the earth, risking their lives to bring back unusual specimens. Women took up gardening creating careers in a sector that had previously regarded them as little more than capable of doing light weeding or arranging flowers. New standards were established for training, products, plants and seed quality, resulting in the arrival of seeds such as Tom Thumb lettuce and frilly edged sweet peas that are still grown today.As recognition grew of the need for a green environment, green spaces and public parks accessible to all, gardening styles underwent considerable changes. This resulted in the creation of designs that have become extremely familiar such as carpet bedding so beloved of municipal gardens, rockeries, vegetable rotation, shrubberies, walled gardens, cottage gardens, roof and window gardens. It was a period which even saw garden gnomes taking up residence in gardens large and small.

Amsterdam is a dream destination for art lovers, attracting thousands of visitors to its stunning museums and art galleries each year.The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum contain internationally renowned collections of art works such as Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. There are many lesser known, stunning art collections ranging from fluorescent art to cat paintings, murals and outdoor sculptures including work by Picasso and Keith Haring. There are also many new art destinations to see.Applied arts are much in evidence with many unusual locations offering hidden treasures such as funeral art, WW2 Resistance Art, Jewish art, gargoyle sculptures, cat themed art, diamond sculptures and Van Gogh’s starry night portrayed in diamonds. There is a vast array of art related destinations to be explored in Amsterdam.Short distances and good transport make it easy to combine Amsterdam with exploring the art on offer in nearby towns and cities Haarlem, Rotterdam, Den’Boch, Delft or Utrecht as well as areas lVolendam and Amstelveen.The Netherlands has an impressive art history that has led to the development of major art movements such as the Dutch Golden Age and De Stijl. This is the country of Rembrandt, Hieronymous Bosch, Piet Mondrian, Vincent Van Gogh, Frans Hals, Rachel Ruysch and Vermeer.