SouthWest Germany Celebrates Year of the Garden

Glittering fountains, elegant statues, wide landscapes, and exhilarating colors dominate the landscape throughout the year. This is an anniversary the whole family can enjoy from young to old; the precision and care that was taken to create these historic gardens is appreciated by all ages. These gardens were made to entertain, heal, restore and beautify and today they are enjoyed as unrivalled oases, places to play and be restored.

Eighteen exquisite gardens are offering exciting activities ranging from open-air concerts and art exhibitions to unconventional and quirky tours. Just as each of the palaces and gardens in Baden-Württemberg has its own history and style, the activities at each garden are equally unique. Hosting this year's events is the State Heritage Agency of Castles and Gardens, which is responsible for the maintenance of 59 historic monuments in SouthWest Germany including Heidelberg Palace, Schwetzingen Palace and Palace Gardens, Ludwigsburg Residential Palace, Weikersheim Palace and Gardens, the World Cultural Heritage site of Maulbronn Monastery, Salem Monastery and Palace and the Hohentwiel Fortress Ruins among others.

In February, a new "Schlosscard Plus," or Castle Card Plus, is available for purchase that includes entrance into 24 monuments and four different 'Year of the Garden' events. The card costs 36 Euros and can be purchased in any of the participating monasteries, gardens or palaces.

Visitors can definitely leave the ho hum at home on this trip as the unique tours, exhibits and beautiful landscape offer constant amusement. At the Heidelberg Castle, a famous renaissance ruin overlooking the city of Heidelberg, children can actually play the ancient lawn games that the royals and aristocracy used to play. Lawn games have been fun for hundreds of years and now the family can experience them in an authentic castle. Not only do the visitors have fun but they are re-enacting the games and history of the royals.

The Maulbronn Monastery Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best-preserved Cistercian monastery complex in Europe and can date its history back to 1147. The monastery's architecture is a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles and boasts beautiful gardens. The Cistercians have traditionally worked the land and used their knowledge to expand their influence past the monastery walls. As far back as the Middle Ages they were well known for their gardening and landscaping. This year, the monastery celebrates its heritages with unique and quirky tours. One such tour, "Through the Garden with the Herb Witch," is an exciting experience as the "witch" teaches her visitors ancient garden tricks and tips and teaches the historical importance of the garden for survival.

Castle Schwetzingen, along the state's asparagus route, can trace its origins to 1350 but flourished under Prince Elector Carl Theodor in the 1700s. The original palace gardens still exist today and are famous for the harmony and beauty of its design that incorporates philosophy, history, art and nature. The State Heritage Agency has named the Schwetzingen Palace Garden the "Garden of the Year" for 2016. Visitors can learn how the beautiful Schwetzingen Gardens were originally designed in the 18th century at the numerous exhibitions and museums on the grounds. The Zirkelgebäude will host an exhibition of original texts, designs and plans that were created for the Electors Carl Philipp and Carl Theodor. The original plan for a baroque garden in the French style was eventually expanded to include a wilder English landscape. Nearby, another exhibition displays the original gardening tools used to create these magnificent landscapes. It is remarkable to see how we created these incredible gardens before the help of modern technology.

All over the region, palace gardens have created special exhibitions, tours and concerts to celebrate the Year of the Garden. Ludwigsburg will have a 90-minute tour of the reconstructed English landscape, to walk through the grounds and see the impact of King Friedrich I. In the colorful botanical garden in Karlsruhe visitors can experience the many different styles and atmospheres, from the colorful and wild botanical garden to the refined English countryside of the Castle Garden. At Lake Constance, the Salem Monastery and Castle is celebrating with a few special exhibitions and tours, such as the "Water - Fountains - Gardens" tour that teaches visitors about the importance, entertainment and utility of incorporating water into the castle gardens. In the monastery gardens, it is fascinating to go through their orchards and see over 1000 fruit trees that were planted in 1777.

In SouthWest Germany, history and gardens are intricately intertwined; castle and monastery gardens in the region create outdoor museums that reach all the senses and entices young and old.

For more information on events in SouthWest Germany, the destination and traditions, please visit www.tourism-bw.com.