Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 38 HAS THE INTEREST IN CASTLE ENVIRONMENTS MOVED OUT TO THE GARDENS? – Yes, the philosopher Francis Bacon said that “one first builds magnificently, and then one builds a garden”! There is a longing to see castles in their correct context. Lilla Slottsträdgården at Läckö is a garden of its time. It was created in the 1660s, during a period of cold winters in Europe. In order to preserve the heat, thick walls were built around the garden to protect the fruit trees; this was the fashion throughout Europe. YOUR FAVOURITES? – One thing for me is to show the aesthetic dimensions of the vege- tables by cultivating them together with flowers. Plants feel best when they are numerous – monoculture is not beneficial. Everything we grow is cultivated by hand, ecologically and goes to the restaurant; this gives an extraordinary holistic expe- rience. Our cooks don’t work based on recipes, but based on the garden! WHAT DISTINGUISHES THE 18TH-CENTURY GARDENS AT GUNNEBO? – The dream of a rural life, a return to nature. The kitchen gar- dens, which the Hall family developed, are located close to the main building. There are three gardens at Gunnebo: the French baroque garden, the kitchen garden and the English landscape park. YOU’RE RECONSTRUCTING THE ORANGERY – TELL US ABOUT IT! – It’s being done based on original drawings from the 1700s, and is one of the most ambitious reconstruction projects of our time. We have inventory lists from the period which show that, among other things, there were 125 different varieties of pineapple. This was a fashionable plant in the 1700s. WHAT TIME OF YEAR SHOULD ONE VISIT THE GARDENS? – At any time! The entire place is created for the summer, but there’s always something to see and experience. My best advice: stay a while after closing time and remain sitting as the sun goes down and the park empties of people. Idyllic! The castle’s green salons In the unique castle gardens of Läckö and Gunnebo, plants are grown which derive from the 16th and 17th centuries. Simon Irvine, horticulturalist and manager for Lilla Slottsträdgården (the Small Castle Garden) at Läckö Castle, and Mattias Johansson, guide and cultural historian at Gunnebo Castle and gardens, are witnessing a renewed interest in the greenery that surrounds the castles. SIMON IRVINE LÄCKÖ MATTIAS JOHANSSON GUNNEBO