Summer’s in full swing and the weekend is just around the corner – a perfect time to explore and bask in nature’s beauty. And if you don’t have access to your own garden, you can always admire those of others. Since 2004, the Open Gardens Berlin-Brandenburg initiative has unearthed a community of 113 (!) private and public gardens that can be visited and enjoyed between May and October. Every season and every garden has its charms: some of them have their own nurseries where you can buy fantastic perennials. Others are sited next to pubs, monasteries and lakes letting you turn your visit into a day trip. My personal pick for this weekend: André and Jens’ dahlia garden at Lake Stechlin (#3) in Neuglobsow, where 400 varieties of dahlias bloom between July and October – all of which are single-flowered and attract countless bees and insects with their abundant pollen. Roses, hydrangeas, wild strawberries and countless varieties of hosta complete the scene. Afterwards, the Stechlinsee’s cool waters await.
Also on my list is Fontane Garden, a large country house garden in Sonnenberg. The one-hectare landscaped garden has an almost Mediterranean feel thanks to its terraces, with wisteria, bougainvilleas and outstanding views blending harmoniously into the Uckermark landscape. For those who cannot make the trip from Berlin, an S-Bahn journey to Frohnau offers two alternatives: the “Pupuce” forest garden (#25) and the perennial garden of Sybille Voormann (#26). Old trees, evergreens and flowering shrubs as well as countless rarities unfold their colorful splendor. The garden also offers plant cuttings to take home.
Text: Milena Kalojanov / Photos: Offene Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
You can see the addresses and opening hours of all the gardens here.
@open.gardens.de
