Jonsered Gardens (Jonsereds Trädgårdar) are just outside Gothenburg. With a heritage that stretches back to the 1800s the gardens are now at the cutting edge of organic growing and social responsibility. The municipality of Partille runs an employment project in the gardens that gives a number of people horticultural experience to help them find jobs. In 2015, Jonsered Gardens won the Elmia Park Inspira award as Sweden’s most inspiring park in the category of newly created parks.
The desire to help our fellow human beings has shaped Jonsered over many decades. When Scottish factory owner William Gibson built the magnificent mansion in 1868 the farming community had grown over a period of a couple of decades from a small village into a model industrial community where workers were provided with practical housing, reliable healthcare and a well-developed school. To crown it all Gibson had a garden laid out next to the mansion where everyone was welcome to enjoy the summer’s fresh vegetables. But the decades passed, the factories closed down and the gardens became a faded memory. But thanks to exhaustive research by landscape architect Kolbjörn Waern it was possible to start laying out a new garden in 2010. In a nod to the past, Jonsered Gardens (Jonsereds trädgårdar) are a free interpretation of how William Gibson’s mansion house gardens may once have looked. This is how gardener Peter Svenson describes the individual areas that make up today’s gardens:
The formal garden is the most faithful reproduction of an early nineteenth century garden. Formal beds planted with perennials and shrubs, framed by upright privet hedges. This garden also features grand urns planted with colourful exotic species and stylish magnolia trees, alongside tightly clipped shapes in yew and privet, set in paved islands.
The kitchen garden is a combination of vegetable beds and ornamental garden in the English potager garden style. Vegetables and herbs are grown organically in modern raised beds that can be adjusted in height. Hops and columnar apple trees form avenues right across the garden. The borders are planted with summer flowers that were popular in the eighteenth century.
The English rose garden is made up of ten arbours with fragrant contemporary bush roses. There are also large perennial borders with cottage perennials and graceful trees whose foliage creates a sheltering roof.
The exhibition garden is remodelled each year with the help of a well-known or amateur gardener. We look forward to a new garden each year that will stimulate and inspire visitors with new ideas that they can apply to their own gardens. In 2016 we gave a warm welcome to gardening presenter and journalist Gunnel Carlson.
Photo Annika Clarholm
Gardener Peter Svenson
Even if his name is unfamiliar there is a good chance that you have heard his voice on radio. For many years Peter Svenson has been a frequent guest gardener on the gardening radio show on station P4 Göteborg. Peter is also known as the driving force behind the organic rosarium at the Garden Society of Gothenburg (Trädgårdsföreningen), one of the first of its kind.
Employment project in Jonsered Gardens – HELPING people and flowers TO GROW
The municipal employment unit in Partille bases some of its employment activities in Jonsered Gardens. Under the guidance of gardener Peter Svenson, teams specialising in crafts and gardening are helping to re-create and maintain the gardens. The teams carry out tree felling, ground work and planting. A small kitchen garden has been established with growing benches at different heights for flowers and vegetables. A number of plants are grown on here for subsequent planting in the various gardens. Individual green rehabilitation plans are drawn up to help each team member gain employment skills. Examples of the activities on offer include support and coaching talks, various types of garden work, craft skills, walks and mindfulness exercises.
Photo Anton Ahlström
Café
Kafé Grindstugan has everything you need for enjoyable coffee break. For those who are peckish there are also hot soups and prawn sandwiches. Opening hours vary during the season, visit www.kafegrindstugan.com for current information. Don’t miss the Rosengaraget shop, which sells Peter Svenson’s organically grown roses.
*Winner of the 2015 Elmia Park Inspira award for newly created parks.