EBTS UK in Denmark
It’s not often that a garden tour commences with a fabulous fireworks display but this is exactly what happened to the lucky group who came on the annual foreign trip!
In the heart of Copenhagen is a very famous garden, TIVOLI, which is better known for its funfair. It is also a garden which the Danes are very proud of. Designed during the nineteenth century so that “when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics”. It isn’t a large park but a garden with fine plantings around the various pavilions, restaurants and attractions. We were lucky enough to have dinner there and watch the annual fireworks from the balcony. It was a perfect start to a fun and fascinating visit to gardens in and around Copenhagen.
The tour had been put together by Kirsty Fergusson with the help of Greg Kobett, who had worked at Tivoli and was much involved in the replanting. Greg is a landscape architect and works with some of the larger estates in Denmark . We also had insider knowledge from Charlotte Holmes who kindly opened her house and garden to us for a special lunch. This trip had the magic touch of getting to meet private garden owners who kindly shared their knowledge alongside the beautiful public gardens.
One public garden, is Frederiksborg, whose royal gardens were meticulously restored in the 1990’s back to their original style of the 1720’s with the replanting of the fine Baroque parterre, with the noteworthy royal monograms executed in box. The castle is the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia and is still used by the royal family today. Our visit coincided with perfect weather as we wandered around admiring the extensive restoration on a lavish scale. We managed to see the King’s Garden in Copenhagen and admire the autumn planting beside the Rosenberg Castle. Although these gardens are public there is an intimate quality to them enhanced by the architectural planting of avenues and hornbeam enclosures, even espaliered apple trees. This included the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens and we were lucky enough to have a private visit to the 3000 sq m conservatory, dating from 1874. Another botanical garden that we were so inspired by was the charming medieval knot garden at Vordingborg which was created by G.N. Brandt in 1921. It was a delight to see healthy box hedging thriving, setting off the medicinal plants to great effect.
As a Society we pride ourselves on visiting private gardens and this was no exception. Exillion is the home to Peter Wibroe who lives and manages the garden with his daughter Louisa. This extraordinary creation began in the 1970’s when Peter transformed the main house into a small chateau. The house sits comfortably in its landscape stepping back in time to the French baroque period. The garden encompasses a large formal area, box parterre and kitchen garden leading up to the high terrain where we are transported to the Orient, a nod to where the art of gardening first emerged. One mans dream has become a reality which we were able lucky enough to share.
These trips are made by the people we meet on our visits and Greg was able to include his marvellous private home which he and his partner Sting Lauritsen created in the Paradehuset at Grisselfeld. This winter garden was created by the owners of Grisselfeld Castle in 1876 after seeing the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace. This beautiful orangery made a magical stop to avoid the rain, before a visit to the Japanske Have, the inspiration for Peter Dalsgaard. He has transformed a scruffy suburban 4 acre garden into an astonishing sculptured landscape based on his association with Japan, and the Japanese esthetic. The harmonious planting and meticulous pruning of the shrubs and trees have created an extraordinary place in which to immerse ones
senses.
Our final visit was a great surprise as we thought we were visiting a Sandstone retailer, only to find ourselves at a Sandstone Sculpture garden, in a series of unique garden rooms designed by the owner, Tove Hede who greeted us with a huge smile which would disperse any rain clouds. This was a perfect place to raise a glass and enjoy more warm danish hospitality before we headed home.
Written by Charlotte Maclean
