Parks and Gardens in Thuringia

If you’re expecting nothing but dandelions and daisies, you’re in for a big surprise! For 50 years, mountain plants from almost every mountainous region of the world have been flourishing at the Rennsteig Botanical Gardens on the outskirts of Oberhof because of the special climate there – everything from Caucasian gentians to adonis roses from the Himalayas. Many have already become extinct in the wild and are under strict protection. They have found a safe refuge here in the Thuringian Forest – much to the delight of botanists and visitors.

Erfurt, the Thuringian state capital, is famous for its centuries-old horticultural tradition, first established in the 1800s by Christian Reichart, the Thuringian who raised plant cultivation in Germany to a professional level. Later there were major Erfurt horticultural dynasties such as Blumenschmidt, Haage and Chrestensen, and specific Thuringian plant and flower varieties. Erfurt’s success as a centre of gardening and growing has left its mark in many places. Although I have been here for more than ten years, I still have plenty to learn about the city I call home, as is so often the case. So with the help of the Thuringia.MyCulture. digital travel guide I’m embarking on a tour of discovery of ‘Erfurt – city of flowers’.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s love of nature has provided us with a wealth of poems and notes today. What he describes was literally on his doorstep, as he often found inspiration in his gardens and the Park an der Ilm. During the five decades that the poet spent in Weimar, he repeatedly turned to nature, botany and horticulture.

“Two beers and a murder!” I exclaim as we pass a sign that says ‘Weissensee’. “What?” Clara, who is driving our car, brakes sharply. “Well, you know, Weissensee!” I blurt out excitedly.

Lots of green spaces, easy to get around, a vibrant student scene. Plus culture and restaurants in abundance and a surrounding region that’s perfect for cycling and walking. And all set within a mediterranean landscape, dotted with castles and palaces. Welcome to paradise – welcome to Jena.

“Paths are silent guides,” says Andreas Pahl, quoting the great landscape gardener Prince Pückler and points to a romantic, moss-covered stone structure flanked by a curved bridge – a picture-perfect ruin. The spruce trees nearby were by no means coincidental either. Weimar’s green spaces are admirable!

A world in itself, Royal Greiz Park features lovely views, a clock made of flowers and some unusual butterflies.

As you pass Rosanna Minelli’s shop on the Merchants’ Bridge, you can spot the long, green plants to which Erfurt owes it rise to prominence in the Middle Ages. Turning these plants into blue dye was hard and rather unpleasant work. The plants had to be ground, formed into balls and dried before being moistened again in the attics of the woad merchants to extract the dye. And not just with water, but with huge amounts of urine for fermentation, which made the city stink.

With its palm trees, olive trees and eleven parks and themed gardens, Bad Langensalza truly is a verdant town.

Thuringia’s parks and gardens could not be more varied, ranging from Far East bonsai culture to the scent of over 450 types of rose and a 160-hectare royal country park. On this voyage of discovery I look at ornamental flower beds, marvel at landscape architecture and enjoy a balmy summer breeze amid flowering vines.

Gotha shows its best side around Friedenstein Palace, where the Ducal Orangery, the English Garden and the Wasserkunst cascades can be explored during a stroll in the sunshine.

The Anna Amalia Library is part of the Classical Weimar World Heritage site. We spoke to library director Reinhard Laube about Goethe’s love of garden design.

Surrounded by a sea of green, a man fights to maintain his balance. As calming as the colour might be, harvesting watercress from narrow wooden planks is hard work. For Ralf Fischer, harvest time is a balancing act and, depending on the season, part of his everyday business. When he enters his old watercress beds, he is like an acrobat on the slippery and wobbly planks. And it gets no better once he reaches his destination. Harvesting the plants peeking out of the water requires a sharp knife and plenty of practice as he inches along the planks on his knees. He leans over this green superfood for minutes on end filling up his small basket.