I met my husband while working in Germany. He and his family are from Mannheim. We frequently go back and visit his family. 

One fine day, with Opa babysitting, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the free time. We visited Schwetzingen Palace and its gardens. While the palace seems enormous for a “simple” hunting lodge, the garden is exquisite and overshadows the palace. Planned in a circular layout an English manicured garden provides a space that opens the imagination to another world (it makes you believe Narnia could exist). Statues of stags depicting a hunt greet you as you walk through the center path. Off the center path, each quadrant offers a surprise whether it’s a maze, a mosque, a turret ruin, old elaborate baths, an ancient viaduct, or an aviary. The garden truly opens your imagination for design.

Manicured garden quilt is inspired by the centrally manicured hedges and paths that form fleur-de-lis-like designs.