Privat Garden

A particular feature of the Private Garden - a private refuge for the baronial family - is that it is laid out on four different levels.

Baron Süsskind‘s passion for creating landscapes began here in the Private Garden. His first step was to plant shrubbery. Then he transformed the boggy duck pond into a delightful Persian garden with a cascading waterfall, additional water features and shrub terraces.

Plans have also been drafted for future developments that include the construction of a shell grotto, with a brook connecting it to the Persian Garden.

The Vase Walk

Since the restoration in 1995 these original vases from the castle courtyard have linked the castle to the orangery, offering a charming vista in combination with the 100 metre long bed of shrubs.

In the 18th century, orange, fig and pomegranate trees, which stood outside of the pleasure garden during the summer, were moved to the Orangery for the winter. Today the orangery is used as a summer-cafe.

 The Persian Garden - Persia was renowned for its beautiful gardens over 3000 years ago. The word "paradise" is derived from the old Persian language and means "Enclosed Garden of the Emperor."

The Pleasure Garden - Is set 6 metres above the lower garden and castle pond. In the 18th century over 600 cart-loads of soil were needed to raise the level.

Surrounded by walls and high yews the Rose Garden is the sunniest and warmest location in the castle grounds.

The foundations for the original historical castle garden design were part of the plans drafted in 1734 by Leopold Retti for the entire complex.

He was influenced by the French art of gardening, in combination with the Baroque fashion at that time.

Formal gardens were popular in the 18th century, with geometrical straight paths and vistas. The idea was to convey power over nature. These principles were employed for the Castle gardens in Versailles and symbolised the absolute power of the King.

The Dennenloher castle- and gardenday - a large garden fair in the Private Garden takes place every year in May.

 The classic days in Dennenlohen have a long tradition - in days gone by, this was an event reserved strictly for private guests. Today all music lovers can enjoy it.

It was not only the pleasure garden that conformed to the laws of geometry. In the vegetable garden, the asparagus and cabbage beds were laid out between precisely trimmed hedges and paths that looked as if they had been measured with a ruler.

However, formal gardens were outdated shortly after the castle was finished. The fashion during the enlightenment demanded landscape gardens, which first appeared in England in the 1730s and within a few decades had replaced almost all the Baroque gardens throughout Europe.

 And so the pleasure garden, which had been laid out as a symmetrical Baroque garden, was transformed 23 years later into an English landscape garden.

Unlike the pleasance, the vegetable garden retained its formal character, until it was transformed into a spacious lawn in 1950. Baron Süsskind managed to create a breathtaking vista here. From the Vase Walk, a symbol of ancient Greece, one's gaze wanders past the Persian Garden, through the round Moon Gate in the castle walls, then onwards through the Chinese section of the Rhododendron Park to the Red bridge before continuing towards the Japanese section with its picturesque stone lanterns.

The expression "pleasure garden" or "pleasance" may sound rather amorous, but it means nothing more than a garden for walking. Just as in the 18th century one can still go for a "pleasure walk" from the castle terrace through the 250-year-old tree-lined avenue leading to the steps at the lake and pavilion.