Schloss Oberhofen is one of four beautiful castles dotted along the edge of Lake Thun in Switzerland. The building is magnificent, and so is the glass-themed restaurant overlooking the lake—but the best part are the castle grounds.
From spruces to pine trees to cedar, gingko, and giant redwoods, this park is sprawling with floral variety. It’s a symphony for the senses to walk, stop, smell, and see. The beauty sure is cumulative—without so many different species, it wouldn’t be so impressive—but one specimen sure stood out above all others: the Japanese katsura tree.
Below its heart-shaped leaves, a sign described the tree’s specialty: “The faded, wilting leaves exude a sweet, gingerbread-like scent.” Can you imagine it? You’re standing in an alley on a cool autumn day, and suddenly, the smell of Christmas fills the air. But it’s not the bakery next door teasing the people in the streets. It’s the leaves of the katsura trees, making their way home to Mother Nature.
The next time you feel like you’ve failed, like there’s just no room for your ideas and your dream is impossibly far away, remember: Somewhere in Switzerland, there’s a tree whose leaves smell like gingerbread—and anything is possible in this beautiful, irregular world of ours.