Our Urban Oasis of Adventure and Dreams.
Our first house in Amsterdam was in a neighborhood some called a “slum,” but to us city dwellers, it was pure paradise.
Nestled on the edge of Amsterdam’s green belt, it offered a dreamy Dutch landscape with canals, open fields, cows, herons, and two charming windmills from the nearby village of Abcoude.
The highlight? Our house came with a front and back garden. After years in a cramped apartment, this felt like we’d hit the jackpot!
The garden, though small, was our personal adventure park. While most neighbors paved their yards and sunbathed, we embraced the greenery.
Our garden was a lush little oasis. On one side, three majestic trees stood tall. The “Butterfly Tree” bloomed with purple flowers, attracting fluttering visitors, while two wild pear trees added to the shade and mystery of our mini-jungle.
The other side was more challenging. No plant seemed to thrive there. One day, Yoni had a brilliant idea—turn it into a pond.
He found an old bathtub on the street, dug a hole, and started his project. After a weekend of hard work, we had a bathtub-shaped hole and a pile of dirt.
The pond project stalled for a year.
Finally, I hired someone to finish the job. I decided to make it into a birthday gift for Yoni and deliver him the vision that he had in his mind – A pond!
The guy transformed the hole into a beautiful pond with water plants and a fountain. It became a haven for wildlife, although we had to add steps after discovering hedgehogs couldn’t escape the slippery edges.
Our gardener fell in love with our garden and offered to care for it. It was a win-win.
He got to indulge his hobby, and we enjoyed a beautiful garden without the upkeep.
I gave him one rule: make it wild and adventurous, like a jungle full of secrets, not a manicured English garden. He did just that, and Thom adored it.
Our garden became Thom’s Secret Garden. She spent hours watering plants, playing among the trees and bushes, and reveling in the magic of our little green haven.
It was her favorite place until she grew old enough to explore the neighborhood with friends.
Our garden was more than just a plot of land—it was a place of dreams, adventures, and countless cherished memories.