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hester Schilliger

Hester has kindly offered one lucky reader a copy of the book! Read below for competition.

Most everyone knows of Hester Macdonald. She not only voices her way into your life via the radio, but also runs her own garden design company HM Garden Design, as well as the Swiss Gardening School, and provides guided tours for the garden at the Château de Prangins. Mother of two, she is an empty-nester and is always on the lookout for a challenge. Is this her next baby? Gardens Schweiz/Suisse/Switzerland, a 52-page delight for the eyes, the senses, and the emotions is a must-have for anyone with a passion for the neat, the natural, and the unusual. The only thing missing would be the wonderful scents these gardens release... in the early morning, baking in the afternoon sun, or at rest at dusk. Switzerland has many of the world’s finest gardens. British garden expert Hester Macdonald features 52 of them in her new book. Gardens Schweiz/Suisse/Switzerland is the first multilingual guide to Swiss gardens to date.

We asked Hester to give us some background on this new venture and here is what she said:

What prompted you to do this book?
I'd visited lots of amazing gardens in Switzerland, I thought they were easily as good as many famous gardens I'd visited elsewhere in Europe, and thought it was time that Swiss gardens were recognised in their own right as a reason to visit Switzerland. I also wanted to to help them become better known for people living in and around Switzerland, who may not know that there was a gem of a garden, waiting to be discovered, right on their doorstep! I was introduced to Richard Harvell of Bergli Books, by Ian Smith at WRS, and Richard loved the idea of doing a book about Swiss gardens from the start.

Did you comb through every garden or were you invited?
I had already visited dozens of gardens, for my radio show Dig It, over the years, so I already had a significant number of great gardens I wanted to include. I then asked advice from colleagues, friends, other gardeners, in person, and via various FaceBook pages, as to which gardens they thought warranted a visit. I made a huge list, grouped by area, and tried to visit them all. Some were amazing, some were disappointing, and I also revisited gardens that I had liked previously. For some of the gardens, I went "officially", because I was going to interview the head gardener or the curator or creator, and for some of the gardens, I was just a member of the public, who asked some pretty specific questions!

VideoGeneva group

Following up on an article knowitall.ch published last August at this link, we were contacted by Jaumesse about the result of the project!

A song and video, Geneva, was released in January and after months of hard work, the team are happy to announce the project, in a long line of future hopeful projects!

The song "Geneva" is a collaboration between several musical artists: Stefano Pollastri, Geni Deli and Jaumesse. Jaumesse explains, "Half of the money we raise will be donated to an important cause which is very close to our hearts, the association "On va parler ensemble" that helps migrants and promotes their integration in Swiss society. The association teaches French to immigrants free-of-charge through conversation groups giving them the confidence to integrate."

VideoGeneva night

postcard vintage hearts

The tradition of sending postcards and letters, especially with Valentine's Day nearly here, is not completely lost in this day and age of electronic emails and well wishes. But the excitement of thumbing through your letterbox and seeing a hand-written address, with a beautiful stamp, is a great feeling! Why not make a commitment to sending out at least one letter or card per month to the person of your choice? You know it will make their day and you will also be keeping a tradition alive!

Again, here is an excerpt from the latest Know-it-all passport®. Do you have your copy yet? Click here to see where to purchase your copy.

Special stamps
There are so very many interesting stamps on the market but often the post offices aren’t stocked. However, go online and order whatever you like and they will be sent to you at no extra charge. At the moment, there are some super stamps with images of fondue and cheese set on a fondue pot (see image below, 12 x Fr. 1.- stamps only cost you Fr. 12.-). Or maybe you prefer one with animals, circus, or transport? There are so many to choose from and you don't pay anything for delivery!

fonduestamps

parking

Here is a juicy selection of interesting violations for you to consider in Switzerland! This is an excerpt taken from the latest Know-it-all passport®. Do you have your copy yet?

Keep in mind these are the base fines; additional fees may be added by the police.

How many did you already know and which ones are you surprised to learn about?

Traffic Violations from Know it all passportXI

 expatexpo2017

 

Our stand at last year's 10th edition... come see the KIAP 11th edition this Sunday!

Expat Expo is a prime event for Anglophone community of Switzerland. The event is intended to gather various renowned businesses, organizations, museums, clubs, service providers and buyers together, under one roof. The exhibitors will display their latest goods and valuable services for the English-speaking market of Switzerland. It will provide opportunity to build and promote brand name, create product image, build business contacts with visitors and exhibitors and create future business prospects. The visitors will get chance to see and compare the various products and services, meet face-to-face with industry professionals, learn about various products and gain valuable knowledge abut various brands and services available in the Swiss market. The Expat Expo is a must-attend event for Switzerland's Anglophone residents.