Prinsenhoftuin. Groningen, the Netherlands.
"During the Middle Ages, Prinsenhof was the property of the Brethren of Communal Life, a religious faction... By the end of the 16th century Prinsenhof became the official residence of the Nassau viceroys, giving the building its current name... In this period the Prinsentuin Gardens were created. The letters W and A, cut from taxus hedges, refer to viceroy Willem Frederik and his spouse Albertine Agnes." Source: Prinsenhoftuin Hotel Site.
I love the separation that middle age cloister gardens create -- between inside and outside worlds. Prinsenhof in Groningen, the Netherlands, is a wonderful example of this. Its role as a cloister dates back to the 1400’s. Tall brick walls separate it visually from a busy city street. Pleached sycamores peak out above the brick wall – the only sign of something special within. But in the 1500’s Prinsenhof became a residence and the gardens were updated...