- A Visit to the 'Gruga' in Essen
Our Visit to the Flower Show began with a trip around the gardens on the "Grugabahn" (the miniature railway). Gruga we later discovered meant Gemüse, Rosen and Garten Ausstellung i. e. vegetable, rose and garden exhibition.
It was the largest flower show that I personally or any of the other English visitors for that matter had ever seen. and it is very difficult to describe its immensity. Perhaps the fact that it had a miniature railway will help. The miniature train passed ornamental lakes complete with flamingos, restaurants and all sorts of halls and gaily coloured flower beds. Even on the most miserable day one could have quite easily found something to do, because in the grounds were a roller skating rink, an aquarium and an exhibition of tropical plants. Children who were not interested in plants could amuse themselves m the wonderful children's playground, which even amused some of the members of our party, with the donkey rides. On the trampoline or putting green, or in the outdoor swimming pool if the weather permitted.
All this without even mentioning the wide variety of plants: flowers, trees and shrubs from the smallest variety of conifer.
all blended together to give the most spectacular splash of colour imaginable Our only regret was that we could not see the tulips in full bloom, but this was abundantly compensated for by everything else at the show. Another cause of great delight was the magnificent fountains and our visit was rung off by the ringing of the bells at the Gruga bell tower.
A Visit to the 'Gruga' in Essen / Words
Flower Show Blumenschau
the miniature railway die Miniatureisenbahn
the exhibition die Ausstellung
for that matter in dieser Beziehung
the immensity die Unermesslichkeit, die Ausdehnung
the ornamental lakes die Zierseen, Seen zur Zier
complete vollständig, vervollständigt
gaily coloured bunt gefärbt, farbig
the flower bed das Blumenbeet
even sogar
in the grounds auf der Fläche, auf dem Gebiet
Roller skating rink Rollschuhbahn
the tropical plant die tropische Pflanze
playground der Spielplatz
the donkey ride das Eselreiten
the trampoline das Trampolin
the putting green der Kleingolfplatz
the outdoor swimming pool das Freibad
to mention erwähnen
Wide weit, groß
the variety die Mannigfaltigkeit
the shrub der Strauch
the conifer der Nadelholzbaum
to blend vermischen
spectacular auffallend, großartig
the splash der Fleck
imaginable denkbar
only einzig
the regret das Bedauern
in full bloom in voller Blüte
abundantly reichlich
to compensate entschädigen, belohnen
everything else alles andere
the cause der Grund, die Ursache
the delight das Entzücken
magnificent herrlich, prächtig
the fountain der Springbrunnen
to ring off abläuten, zu Ende bringen
ringing of the bells das Glockengeläute
the bell tower der Glockenturm
A Visit to the 'Gruga' in Essen / Questions
1. With what did the visit begin?
2. Had this visitor ever seen such a large flower show before?
3. What did they see from the train?
4. Would the exhibition be interesting in bad weather?
5. What was to be found in the children's playground?
6. What types of plant did the exhibition contain?
7. What were they not able to see?
8. Can you give another English word for "immensity"?
9. Do you enjoy swimming?
10. Do you have a garden at home?
Discussion and essay topics
1. Is keeping a garden a waste of time?
2. How can one best spend a wet day?
Note
1. Blumenausstellungen sind auch in England sehr beliebt. The Royal Horticultural Society (Königliche Gartenbaugesellschaft) hat viele Mitglieder, und die besten Blumenzüchtungen bekommen besondere Preise.
2. Gut gepflegt sind die Parks in den großen Städten. Fast in jedem Stadteil kann man solch einen Park finden. Den Rasen darf man betreten manche Rasenfläche wird besonders gepflegt und wird für „bowls" (eine Art Kegelschieben) benutzt.
Erwähnenswert ist' der Hyde Park in London, wo man an Wochenenden Redner aller Schattierungen sehen und hören kann.
3. Zu jedem englischen Haus gehört ein Garten. In unserem modernen Zeitalter sind viele Gärten der Errichtung von Häuserblocks zum Opfer gefallen.
