Renewed contact with relatives in Stuttgart in recent years has been enriching not only on a personal level, but has enabled me to combine family visits with those of natural enclaves. A few sites in particular have stolen my heart. Like a siren, they beckon me to return and like Odysseus, I am unable to resist their call. This past fall I sought them out again, following my first acquaintance the previous year.
Stuttgart’s Schlossgarten (Palace Garden) consists of three contiguous and connected parts. The Upper Schlossgarten nearest the center of the city has at its core the artificial reservoir Eckensee and is fringed by eye-catching edifices and monuments, most notably the New Palace, former residence of the kings of Württemberg. A bridge across the busy Schillerstraße near the Main Train Station leads north to the Middle Schlossgarten which merges with the Lower Schlossgarten. These two occupy a wider footprint and feel more removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. From one end of the Schlossgarten nearest downtown to the opposite end that abuts the Neckar River in Bad Cannstatt, the distance approximates two to three miles, depending on the directness of one’s chosen route. I like to meander, but still covered it in about two hours.
One corner of the Eckensee, with adjacent Königsbau on the right, and victory column on the left
Fountain of Fate (Schicksalsbrunnen) at the Upper Palace Garden
Urban natural oases might not offer the pristineness and solitude of more remote destinations, but they are welcome refuges and serve as reminders of nature’s adaptability and tendency to thrive when afforded the slightest opportunity. Surrounded by human habitations and incessant traffic, occupied by manicured lawns and choreographed trees, bushes, and flowers, the verdant lung of Baden-Württemberg’s capital nonetheless offers a home for many wild critters, though how wild they remain through constant contact with and frequent handouts by humans remains debatable.
Mute Swan, not bothered by human activity
…nor are these sleeping Mallards near its edge
Black-headed Gull, unfazed by humans
…as is the squirrel
Pond in the Middle Palace Garden
Vast meadow in the Lower Palace Garden
Autumn splendor
…with inviting trails
The Common Moorhen was very common
…as was the Eurasian Coot
Egyptian Geese, transplants from North Africa
The handsome Graylag Goose
The even more attractive Gray Heron
Despite a near-constant current of walkers, runners, and bikers, I encountered everywhere my favorite feathered friends whose presence perfected this picturesque panorama. As my visit to Stuttgart happened late in the year, autumn’s brush had dipped deeply into pots of gold and amber and burgundy, and had applied its strokes liberally to the local flora. On a day when the sun succeeded in counteracting the cloud cover that clung to the skies during the remainder of the week, those colors carried summer’s residual heat and warmed my heart and soul.
Click here for the German version/klicken Sie bitte hier für die deutsche Version:
tanja britton 
Thank you for sharing your trip!
I think autumn is a wonderful time to travel and your pictures are the proof for it!
As your headline says “part 1”, I am looking forward to the next part!
kindest regards,
Christa
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Thank you, Christa. I love fall travel, too, but if I had to pick one favorite month, it would probably be May. In most places spring is in full swing, and it is not too hot yet.
There will be two more parts, but I will probably publish one a month, interspersed with other themes. I appreciate your interest.
Best wishes,
Tanja
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Lovely capture of the Gray Heron. I’m thinking Herons have to be one of my favourite water birds with their elegant neck, beak and wings.
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Thank you, Vicki. I find them extremely elegant, too, and cannot resist taking photo after photo. 😊
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Great visuals — I especially enjoy the shot of the heron . . . amazing to see the similarities of species across the globe :)) Dawn
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Thank you, Dawn. I agree. At first glance one could call it a Great Blue. Here or there, I find them similarly photogenic.
Best,
Tanja
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I went to Uni at Santa Barbara, UCSB, and Great Blue Herons lived there, flying with slow swooping wingbeats, or standing in the water at the inland coastal estuary. It always takes me back there when I see one :))
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I find them particularly graceful when they glide through the air.
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Yes! I lived on Molokai, and the white snowy egrets upcountry there would gather, like 20-40 birds, and take off like angels, wings swirling and flapping . . . surrounding the horses as I’d walk. Quite a memory :))
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Dank einer Freundin, die es der Liebe wegen nach Stuttgart verschlagen hat, war ich in den letzten Jahren ab und zu dort. Nächstes Wochenende geht es wieder hin. Ich habe mich damals in die Villa Berg verliebt…magical place!
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Die muß ich mir dann beim nächsten Besuch vornehmen! Grüße Stuttgart von mir und genieße Deinen Besuch.
Liebe Grüße,
Tanja
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Solche Stadtoasen sind immer wieder schön und so wichtig. Das Foto mit den Wasserspiegelungen finde ich besonders schön! Ich habe mal bei Stuttgart gelebt. Es ist schon eine Ewigkeit her und an den Schloßgarten erinnere ich mich auch nur noch rudimentär. Aber deine Bilder zeigen ein sehr schönes Bild. Hübsch auch die Fotos der verschiedenen gefiederten Tiere! LG, Almuth
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Danke, liebe Almuth. Ich finde es immer erstaunlich, wie groß die Vielfalt in diesen grünen Oasen ist. Ich bin dafür sehr dankbar!
Herzliche Grüße,
Tanja
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Ich glaube, daß ist inzwischen ein weltweites Phänomen, daß sich immer mehr Tiere in die Städte zurückziehen, weil sie dort günstigere Lebensbedingungen vorfinden. Verrückt, aber in gewissen Weise profitieren wir natürlich davon. Für den Stadtmenschen ist das ein besonderes Erlebnis. Liebe Grüße, Almuth
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Beautiful photos of a wonderful adventure and awesome variety of feathered-friend finds! 🙂
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Thank you, Donna. It was a lovely day, with lovely company. 🦆
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Eine wunderbare Vorstellung, liebe Tanja.
Es freut mich, dass du so viele deiner geliebten Vögel in dem wunderbaren Park entdeckt hast.
Liebe Grüße
Brigitte
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Danke, liebe Brigitte. Ich war sehr positiv überrascht, obwohl meine Erfahrung im Jahr davor ähnlich war.
Ich grüße Dich zurück und hoffe Du genießt Dein Wochenende.
Tanja
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A very interesting, lovely and thorough share. birds are truly fascinating.
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I do appreciate your interest and kind comment. As might be clear by now, birds are among my favorite creatures! 😊🐦
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