Escape To These Stunning Swedish Gardens That Are Wrapped In Serenity

Forbes

01-05-2025

The grand manor house dominates the property of Hildasholm
The Dalarna region is Sweden at its best, with dense forests speckling the landscape, a web of foot trails, dramatic waterfalls, gentle slopes for hiking and skiing, and placid lakes, including one of the country's largest, Lake Siljan. And, though Dalarna is most known for its former copper mine (Falun Mine) that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the signature red painted on many Swedish houses actually originated as a byproduct of mining — the district is replete with a wealth of cultural and nature-based experiences, including flower-filled gardens. These are some of the most stellar examples.
Swedish botanist Carl von Linnaeus married Sara Elisabeth Morea in the early 1700s in this red timber cottage.
Anyone who took high school biology will recognize the name Carl von Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist and physician who is considered the father of modern botanical taxonomy. In other words, whenever an organism, whether a human, a flower or a bacterium, is named, it's referred to by its genus and species names: for example, Homo sapiens for humans; E. coli, a specific kind of infectious-causing bacterium; and Rosa rugosa refers to a Japanese rose. This nomenclature was devised by Linaeaus who is also known as Carl von Linne. At the Linnes Wedding Cottage and Garden, the red-hued timber cottage is where he married Sara Elisabeth Morea in the early 1700s. While the cottage's exterior is quite simple, it's the Baroque detailing inside that reflects what you'd expect in an upper class dwelling at that time. The botanically inclined will adore the recreated and restored 18th century garden in the rear for its variety of plants as well as its peacefulness. Trees of all sorts can be found here: lime, ash, apple, elm, maple and pear, to name a few. Other sections grow medicinal plants, such as rose mallow used to treat digestion issues and master wort for muscle cramps; as well as produce such as wild strawberries, gooseberries; raspberries, string beans, kale, kohlrabi and carrots, as well as aromatic herbs. (You're allowed to sample the fruits and vegetables.)
Behind the house is this recreated and restored 18th century garden.
Lime, ash, apple, elm, maple and pear trees are just some of the many types of trees found here.
This is where the artist couple, Carl and Karin Larsson, lived
Touring the Carl Larsson House estate where the artist couple Carl and Karin Larsson lived offers insights into what would later become known as the Scandinavian style of interior design. After moving into what was a simple cottage (Lilla Hyttnas), they renovated, designed and added additional rooms over the years, using the interior as an artistic canvas, creating something very different in terms of aesthetics. Among the details are floral-shaped orange pendant lights in the sunny dining room; hand painted dishware, sometimes with a sense of whimsy; storage drawers inset under the bed — as you'd expect to find in IKEA; and hand-loomed, brightly-colored curtains. Whether on ceilings or furnishings, they mixed an array of different and vivid colors even within one room, such as a forest green ceiling, cherry red columns and dusty teal chairs. Even the furniture in this garden that sits along the banks of the Sundbornsan River is hand painted. The informal gardens — they are often seen in Carl Larsson's paintings of family life — grow daylilies, globe thistles, larkspurs, coneflowers and many other types of blooms, along with trees and shrubbery, and a kitchen garden that all represent specimens that were found in the late 19th century.
The garden is set along the banks of the Sundbornsan River.
Many types of flowers grow in this informal garden including daylilies, globe thistles, larkspurs, and coneflowers.
All the plant life represents what one would find in the late 19th century.
Lilla Hyttnas is the original name for what was a simple cottage.
Carl Larsson painted these informal gardens in many of his works of art.
This is another historic property that's next door to Lilla Hyttnas.
Next door to Lilla Hyttnas is another historic property on the river banks: Stora Hyttnas. The owners, Henrika and Pontus Linderdahl, were Larsson's aristocratic neighbors and friends. Henrika had landscaped this much more expansive property that now grows dozens of types of trees in a woodland as well as raspberries, aronia, grape elder, colorful perennials and an array of apple trees. (An old apple tree bearing a gnarled trunk may be about 350 years old.) The setting is quite bucolic, with a whitewashed double bench swing, a grassy waterfront path, and a lovely meadow.
Henrika and Pontus Linderdahl were not only the aristocratic owners but they were friends with the Larssons.
This large property was landscaped by Henrika, and my types of trees can be found here especially in the woodland.
This setting is quite bucolic with a waterfront path and a meadow.
This is a well preserved and restored wealthy mine owner's property that dates to the turn of the 18th century.
Dating to the turn of the 18th century, the Staberg Estate, a preserved and restored wealthy mine owner's property with a Baroque garden design, references the symmetry of Versaille and other French gardens. Facing a duo of tiny ponds are an array of brightly-hued blossoms (such as orange cosmos, ox eye daisies and sunflowers) as well as patches with such vegetables as beets, fennel, squash and zucchini. More than 70 varieties of fruit trees can be found in this garden, including such old apple varieties as rose haw and gray gylling. Facing this splendid garden setting is a cafe with a popular smorgasbord that, of course, includes not just entree items but also coffee and cake. For those who want to spend most of the day here, two short, family-friendly walking trails beckon. You'll navigate through dense conifer forests; cross a running stream on a footbridge; pass clumps of ferns, moss-covered rocks, and a broad field; as well as clumps of blueberry and lingonberry bushes. Since this entire property was a master miner's estate, it's not at all surprising that at the beginning of the trails you'll spot slag stone leftover from the mining days.
Vivid blooms such as sunflowers and ox eye daisies as well as vegetables can be found in the plots facing the twin ponds.
There are many old apple varieties found here, including such old apple varieties as rose haw and gray gylling.
This serene park dating to the 19th century can be found in the middle of the city of Falun.
Smack in the middle of the city of Falun, Laroverksparken, a placid park, dates to 1867 when it was set up as a garden to teach lessons in botany. At one end of the park is a public high school that retains the elegant mix of Neoclassic, Italianate and Classicism styles from the days when it was a school for boys. Having been renovated many times, the garden is blanketed with flowers, many reflecting those you'd expect to find here in the 19th century, such as marigolds, garden phlox, irises, wild ginger and lilies, as well as dozens of trees: red oak, Manchurian walnut, horse chestnut, mountain cherry and some very old silver maples — some are original. With a small fountain and several picnic tables, it's a lovely spot to enjoy lunch in nice weather.
This public school has a mixed architectural style: Neoclassic, Italianate and Classicism.
Many of the flowers in this park, including marigolds, irises and wild ginger reflect what you would see in the 19th century.
The first site you see on the property is the lovely allee of silver birch trees
Visitors driving down the long allee of silver birch trees will be captivated by the beauty of Hildasholm, a property once owned by Hilda Pennington-Mellor, an English aristocrat, and her Swedish physician husband. (He gifted her the property for their wedding in the early 20th century.) With a grand manor house built on the five acres — it served as a summer residence — she landscaped the gardens in the Arts and Crafts style, creating numerous garden rooms, each bearing a different theme. For example, rimmed with black-eyed susans and low cube-shaped hedgerows, the Peacock Garden is given that name for the 18th century stone peacocks. The labyrinthine Juniper Garden is planted with some very old (and original) junipers as well as perennials such as torch lily, peonies, foxglove and goldenrod, while a Roman-inspired statue can be found in the Sunken Garden that's surrounded by spruce hedges. A ravine that's lush with ferns separates the gardens from the woodlands that have additional design elements. Forest trails bring visitors to more garden rooms, such as the Fountain Garden where flower-bedecked urns stand atop stone pedestals, and the Well Garden that's ringed by arbors and tree trunks that were fashioned into rugged benches. Another delight for visitors can be found in the rear of the manor house where lookouts provide scenic views of Lake Siljan.
On this five-acre property is a grand manor house that served as a summer residence.
This garden room is the Sunken Garden with its Roman-inspired statue.
The lush gardens were landscaped in the English Arts and Crafts style.
Among the many garden rooms, is a Peacock Garden bearing 18th century stone peacocks.
Beyond the gardens is a woodland separated by a ravine.
Visitors are delighted by the additional gardens beyond the ravine as well as the scenic lookouts.
This expansive property was a wedding gift to the English aristocrat, Hilda Pennington-Mellor, from her Swedish physician husband
This large property is home to the manor house and the museum dedicated to the renowned portrait painter, Anders Zorn.
Side by side on this expansive property is a museum dedicated to the renowned portrait painter, Anders Zorn, and the manor house — he designed it — where he resided with his wife, Emma. The tour of the Zorn House interior reveals all sorts of surprises, including the Great Room that's decorated with ephemera from his around-the-world travels, including a cabinet with Etrusian artifacts. The house, though rustic, also radiates a sense of the refined with walls hung with rich tapestries and old masters' paintings. Also on the property is a 13th century timber cabin that Anders had relocated here from a nearby village — he used it as his studio. In front of the manor house is a heart-shaped lawn that Anders gave Emma on their silver anniversary in 1910. On the tip of the heart is a fountain with a figurative bronze — 'Morning Bath' — that Zorn created in 1909. An aesthetic contrast to this is a pair of contemporary bronze sheep by Annika Masolle Skarendal. Much of the garden retains the original garden design, including plants that you would find here in Zorn's time, like old-fashioned roses, lilies, irises, fruit trees, berry bushes, and a huge oak tree.
This is figurative bronze that Zorn created in 1909.
A heart-shaped lawn is set in front of the manor house.
The original garden design is still evident on the property.
Anders Zorn, who designed the house, lived there with his wife, Emma.