Lars Krantz is a gardener, and for many years he was responsible for the Rosendal Garden in Djurgården in Stockholm. Ten years ago, when Wij Manor in Ockelbo – a little community about 220 km north of Stockholm where Lars has his roots – was ready fo ...
Lars Krantz is a gardener, and for many years he was responsible for the Rosendal Garden in Djurgården in Stockholm. Ten years ago, when Wij Manor in Ockelbo – a little community about 220 km north of Stockholm where Lars has his roots – was ready for a new life, he accepted the challenge and moved north. There, with the help of some of Sweden’s leading garden designers and gifted co-workers from the district, he has created Wij Gardens, an enormous complex with several different gardens, a garden restaurant and an educational centre for gardeners.
In this book, Lars Krantz shows that cultivating plants in the north can be a titillating challenge, and his many gardening tips for a tough climate (Ockelbo lies on the same latitude as the Shetland Islands and Helsinki…) are also applicable in gardens further south with a milder climate. Although the 230 roses in Wij’s rose garden are very comfortable in their raised beds, Lars Krantz shows how the micro climate can be even better with the help of screens and plank fences. The many perennials in the Forest Garden are also planted against protective and warming fences or walls built up of local timber and painted with traditional Swedish paints made from mining residue, water, rye flour and linseed oil.
During the short, intensive summer growth period, the perennials, annuals and vegetables at Wij develop into a feast for all the senses. This richness of delights is reflected in Pernilla Hed’s atmospheric photos which also show the beauty of the gardens at other times of the year. This book about the Wij Gardens is a modern, visual and sensual volume which will appeal to all those who want to get inspiration from one of the most beautiful gardens in Sweden.
Pernilla Hed is a photographer specialising in gardens and interiors. She does a lot of work for some of Sweden’s most popular interior and furnishing magazines, and she has followed the Wij Gardens through several seasons. Some of her photos are included in Ulf Nordfjell’s book 12 trädgårdar and they have also been published in the garden magazine Trädgårdsliv.
Honoured with ‘The most beautiful park in Sweden 2007’ prize and ‘The Major Tourist Prize 2007’ award.
In 2010, there will be enormous media interest in Ockelbo thanks to the June wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and the future Prince Daniel who was born and grew up in Ockelbo.