Park "Gardens of the World" in Berlin

In addition to parks - the legacy of past centuries, Berlin has a wonderful place. This park is not a tourist Mecca, mostly locals visit it, especially if you consider that it is a non-prestigious outskirts with panel remnants of the GDR, which is located very far from the historical center. And this heavenly place is called "Garten der Welt", which in Russian means "Gardens of the World". The park was opened in 1987 as a gift from gardeners for the 750th anniversary of Berlin. In 1991, the concept of its development was slightly changed: themed gardens, playgrounds, and recreation lawns were expanded. In total, the garden is 21 hectares.

Visitors are greeted by lush flower beds, the assortment of plants on which changes depending on the season. At the entrance, a very peculiar fountain gurgles, reminiscent of industrial pipes, on top of which, as if plugging them, there are ornamental plants: marigolds, nasturtiums, etc. Cereals are grouped very effectively on the side. Here, at the entrance, there are many signs at once - to which garden in which direction to go. And so on practically at every turn, which is extremely convenient - there is nothing to miss and go around all parts of the park in the desired order. Not far from the entrance is a fairy tale garden, where under the trees along the paths there are small sculptures of the fairytale characters of Andersen and the Brothers Grimm: a pig herd and Snow White, the naked king and Cinderella. Moreover, the figures are made in such a size that it is comfortable for children to consider them, taking into account their small stature.

Numerous rhododendrons are planted under the trees, which make the garden very beautiful already at the beginning of May, when there is really no foliage.

Next is the garden dedicated to Karl Forster, a renowned breeder of perennial plants. Karl Forster is known for his weakness in giving poetic names to varieties of ornamental plants, many of which are currently planted in the garden: the Queen of May daisy, the Play of Flame cinquefoil, the Winner's Rose aster, the Rural Joy phlox. In his garden in Potsdam about 100 years ago, he not only bred new varieties, but also wrote books for flower growers.

Opened after renovation in 2008, the park demonstrates the contribution of German landscape designers to modern landscape architecture. Its peculiarity is the presence of a large number of formal elements in combination with the natural landscape. A total of 14 fountains with elements of stone, clay, millstones develop the theme of "water". And all this murmur under the rustle of the surrounding bamboo and grasses and framed by beautiful bushes.

A path lined with fragrant plants leads to the herb garden. The herb garden itself is very reminiscent of the monastery's pharmaceutical garden from old engravings. Under each plant there is a decorative plaque with the name and family.

The maze is amazingly made of yew berry. Most of the confusing corridors end in dead ends, and to find an exit to the center with an observation deck, you need to try hard. But having escaped to freedom, you feel a small victory of your own intellect. The Chinese garden, opened in 2000, begins the history of not just a recreation garden for the population, but the existence of a green building facility in the "Gardens of the World" format. In a relatively small area, samples of landscape art from all over the world are collected. Moreover, almost every garden is a symbol of friendship with some country. The Chinese Garden covers 2.7 hectares and is the largest in Europe. It originated as a symbol of the partnership between Berlin and Beijing. Everything from the project to the details of buildings and stones, taking into account the requirements of Feng Shui, was brought from China. Even Chinese workers built this splendor. So this is not a pseudo, but a Chinese garden according to all the rules of Feng Shui: the gates look in the right direction, in the right places there are stones, hieroglyphs and gazebos.Even goldfish in the water of the pond were actively moving their fins. Plants included bamboo, pine, willow, calicarp, cotoneaster, bergamo, and Japanese anemone. All this splendor was inspired by a statue of Confucius engraved with a quote about the benefits of gardens. The Japanese Garden of Flowing Water is a Berlin-Tokyo project. Japanese landscape architect Shunmyo Masuno created a traditional Japanese garden with all the necessary elements, including a pavilion for tea ceremonies. It, like the Chinese Garden, the Korean Garden and the Bali Garden, belongs to the general concept of gardens in the world. In 2003, the garden was inaugurated. Japanese gardens are a place of silence and contemplation, “an open-air temple, and it is no coincidence that the author of the project is not only a designer, but also has a religious rank. The Japanese garden includes the main elements of a classic Japanese garden: stones, a dry waterfall, lanterns, a stream with a waterfall, a garden with a gazebo. Of the plants - of course, Japanese maples, sakura, pines, ferns, chrysanthemums.

In addition to those listed above, there is a Korean or Seoul Garden. This direction of park architecture is very rarely represented in botanical gardens and parks. In 2003, at the invitation of the burgomaster, the mayor of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, Mr. Lee Myung-bak, visited Berlin. The Korean Garden, opened in 2005, is a generous gift from the city of Seoul. It covers an area of ​​about 4000 square meters and is characterized by a variety of natural landscapes, all kinds of national courtyards, rich ornamental decoration of pavilions. The main idea of ​​the creators is the garden as a place where people can find joy, inspiration and relaxation in nature. The design of the garden was obtained from Korean architects in Seoul, the construction was carried out by Korean workers, and the decor elements were brought from Korea.

The Bali Garden, which is located in a specially built greenhouse for this purpose, is very original. Like its predecessors - Chinese, Japanese, Korean gardens, it is also an original example of exotic gardening. This is an example of cooperation between the twin cities of Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia - and Berlin. This garden is interesting for people interested not only in gardens, but also in the culture of Indonesia in general. An important aspect of the philosophy of Balinese life is the pursuit of harmony. Harmony is the ultimate goal in all areas of life. A person should always be in harmony with himself, his environment - that is, with nature and other people - and feel like a part of the entire Universe. Gods, people and the environment must be in balance with each other. That is why the garden was named "The Garden of Three Harmonies".

Shown here is a typical Balinese family home surrounded by nature, that is, tropical plants. The traditional flora of that region is represented - orchids, ferns, palms, food and spices.

The Arabian Garden was very reminiscent of the Spanish Alhambra. It was created in 2005, and in 2007 a pavilion with decorative wooden carvings and a fountain in the middle was added to it. The traditional entrance is under a quaint archway. Paving with bright tiles, and not only the floor, but also the walls. Along the perimeter, a rectangular courtyard bounded by a wall is cut crosswise by fountains and pools with water. In the evenings, these fountains are very beautifully illuminated with colorful lights. In the resulting four parts, fragrant plants are planted more or less symmetrically: pelargonium, myrtle, narrow-leaved lavender, roses, lantana, magnolia; instead of citrus, quince is planted, which hibernates more successfully in a European climate, and medlar. The citruses are arranged in tubs on the sides. This heavenly place is called "The Garden of the Four Elements".

As another example of European gardening art, the Italian Renaissance garden “Giardino della Bobolina” was opened on 31 May 2008. Visitors can enter the garden via two staircases through the large wrought-iron gates, first one, and through the loggia on the other.The garden is designed in the style of the Florentine gardens of the 16th century. The central part is a large fountain with paths extending from it, which are framed by a hedge of sheared boxwood. There are large tub plants in terracotta containers, stone benches and Renaissance statues. Here's a quick overview of the park's main exhibits. This place is ideal for students in landscape construction: the main styles of landscape gardening are collected in a relatively small area, they contain all the basic elements characteristic of each direction. All exhibitions are authentic, not stylized projects of European designers. Therefore, I highly recommend paying attention to this corner of Berlin. Photo by the author