King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden lend a plot of their garden at Villa Solliden to an artist every year. This year, the famous gardener John Taylor has taken possession of the place to transform it into a dream family garden.
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A family garden designed by John Taylor on the former croquet ground of King Gustav V
This is the tenth consecutive year that the association Colony Garden Association receives support from the Swedish royal couple to set up his family garden at Solliden Castle, the royal family’s private holiday residence on the island of Öland.
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The association manages and groups together the various allotment gardens in the country. Allotment gardens appeared in Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century, when municipalities made plots available for families to grow their fruits and vegetables. Allotment gardens are managed according to specific rules that differ from community gardens. Community gardens or shared gardens aim to maintain a social bond or are part of a neighborhood project, while the allotment garden is truly focused on the yield of a production for its consumption.
Since May, John Taylor has been visiting the garden of the Villa Solliden to plant flowers and sow seeds. The royal family makes available each year the plot of land that once served as a croquet lawn for King Gustav V. This Saturday, June 29, when King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia returned to their summer residence, the sovereigns participated in the inauguration of John Taylor’s garden. His garden is called ” Find Joy, a family garden for everyone ! ». The garden can be visited until September 29.
As well as being a gardener, writer and presenter of a gardening TV show on SVT, John Taylor has his own flamboyant allotment garden at his home in Malmö. I hope to inspire more and more people to discover the joys of growing and to understand the value of the 50,000 family gardens in the country. ” said the gardener. Carolina Thaysen, operations manager, explains that “theFamily gardens have experienced a real renaissance in recent years and their cultivation is currently arousing great interest. The aim of this garden, which is entrusted annually to another gardener, is to give ideas and inspiration to visitors who participate in the cultivation of a community garden.
