Handbook for an Old Garden

Discover, preserve, recreate. A garden is in constant change. Taking care of an old garden is therefore not about freezing a particular state. Instead, it is about getting to know the garden in order to best preserve its various parts for the future.

In his role as a garden antiquarian, André Strömqvist has extensive experience with older environments, and as a gardener, he simultaneously possesses the practical knowledge required.

Here, he describes how we can find clues, interpret what we see, and set an achievable level of ambition. He pedagogically guides us through the garden's various elements such as flowerbeds, hedges, stone paths, and fruit trees. He describes how we can proceed to care for, restore, and recreate the different parts, and allows history, in the form of pioneers, methods, and heritage varieties from older times, to awaken curiosity and inspiration.

Photo: André Strömqvist