Historic parks in the climate crisis

Historic parks in the climate crisis

Bushes crying for water

Numerous historic gardens and parks are in great danger. Climate change and especially the last hot years with their long hot and dry summers have left their mark.

This also became clear when we set out on our final excursion to the Schönbusch Landscape Park. Actually, we wanted to go there with our guests in September 2022 - but just then there was too much rain. Now we made up for it on our own, on probably the hottest day of the year and after a long dry period. Many canals didn’t carry water and the cascade was also only a pile of stones. There, water should meander down over an artificial cairn in a kind of small waterfall.

The meadows were all yellowish-brown and many shrubs were drooping their leaves. At first glance, the large trees looked healthy, but even there you could find thinning crowns or even dead trees.

At the end of 2019, the German Palaces Society and the German Society for Garden Art and Landscape Culture (DGGL) founded an alliance on the topic of "Historic Gardens in Climate Change."  There, experiences are to be gathered, research applications coordinated, and a database on shrubs and trees in parks created.

A dead tree in Schönbusch park

Many trees in the historic parks are old, characterize sight lines as primeval solitaires, and are now suffering.  Often the crowns have to be cut back so that the trees can manage with less water or to protect visitors from falling branches. Trees defend themselves against drought by shedding branches on their own. So it has become much more dangerous to go into the forest.

The fact that the trees are old does not make things easier - they become more susceptible to pests and heat damage. It is quite normal that old trees need to be replaced. However, conditions have changed - many of the classic species, such as beech, do not cope well with the new climate conditions. New tree species have to be found. However, this also changes the traditional and historically "correct" appearance of the parks. Leaf colorations and growth forms transport design concepts of the garden architects - there the overall picture and the historical idea should be preserved despite new tree species. This is not an easy task. At least individual important trees are fought for intensively - but a wide-area park cannot be irrigated - at least with affordable effort.

The cascades without water

2019

2023

German Allotment Gardens

German Allotment Gardens

 What are allotment gardens?

Allotment Gardens are rented pieces of land in a garden community on which each tenant can grow things like Vegetables, Fruit and Flowers. They're there for people with a passion for gardening. Be it just to relax, get your mind off of things or to take a break from your daily obligations which can tire you, gardening can be a great escape. Most gardens include a shed or a little hut, which is usually provided with electricity, be it to mow the lawn or to make some coffee or tea. A lot of people also decide to spend their summer evenings in the gardens and invite friends for a drink or barbecue. All in all, the allotment gardens are small personal and local getaways.

 History of Allotment Gardens in Germany

When hunger and poverty were all over Germany and Europe almost 200 years ago, the poor citizens took it upon themselves to have their own „gardens for the poor“ which helped them survive. After WWII, Berlin contained about 200,000 allotment gardens, which helped the people to get around in the post-war time. After some time, small associations of gardeners were founded, which had councils that cared for water systems and fenced the areas of the gardens. The gardeners starting to use the Gardens independently, said gardeners pay a small rent for their garden, and said rent goes into the costs, which the council handles. The Gardeners have certain duties that they need to attend to, and their organization was proven to help learn democratic rules as well. After the Hunger and Poverty Period was over, people also used their garden to get their children away from the streets, and to ensure them a good childhood. There is over 1.4 Mio. allotment gardens in Germany nowadays.

 Where you can find Allotment Gardens

To find Allotment gardens i Germany is quite easy since they're existent in almost every village. Allotment gardens make out 47,000 ha of Germany. So if you're ever in any German city, ask around, they're everywhere.

 How to get an Allotment Garden

 To rent a garden, a person needs to be a Member of the association which happens by signing a Contract. The Associations are democratic Groups which will also democratically deal with problems of the Gardeners. If there's no solution or the discussions are invalid, the issues of the gardens can be turned into a case for the city to discuss.

 Advantages of the German Atonement System are:

•       Production of fresh food for household consumption

•       Promotion of organic farming

•       gaining gardening experience

•       Children learn gardening

•       Learning democratic rules, decision-making and conflict management

 Mia

 

The monastery garden of Seligenstadt

The monastery garden of Seligenstadt

The monastery garden in Seligenstadt is not only a simple monastery garden but, also a herb garden with various herbs and a vegetable garden with traditional mixed cultivation. It also has a pharmacy, a monastery mill, a museum and a café.

Einhard founded the monastery in Seligenstadt in 828. Seligenstadt monastery became an economic and political center and acquired extensive property.  The property and assets of the monastery were controlled by the archbishop, who had to approve the election of the abbot. Centuries of disputes between the monastery and the neighboring town of Seligenstadt characterized the monastery. As they had different economic interests, the monastery's servitude, dues, court rights did not contradict the civic town freedom, and as there were disputes about ownership of land and rights. Thus, the monastery and the town were in permanent conflict. In 1525 the abbey was attacked and plundered by the townspeople, who allied themselves with the peasants. Only from the end of the 17th century the monastery experienced a new prosperity.

The monastery provided medical, social and cultural services to the surrounding area until 1803.

For almost 1000 years monks lived in the monastery according to the Benedictine rules. Today, the abbey with its venerable buildings and magnificent garden once again presents itself as a baroque ensemble and provides an impressive insight into monastic life in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Today, when you sit in the café, you have a beautiful view of the monastery garden.  The café offers a varied breakfast, a wide selection of cakes and pies prepared in the local pastry shop.

Lisa-Marie

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