Nepal Himalaya Park, Germany: July 2021

Not far from us a wonderful garden nestles on a stony hillside on the edge of the Bavarian Forest and above the River Danube.

Within its grounds stands the Expo 2000 Nepalese Pavilion – a Buddhist Temple and Hindi Stupa all in one. After being dismantled after the exhibition, it was transported here and rebuilt by the Nepalese craftsmen, setting the theme for the garden which has grown up around it. The garden has since been extended a great deal and although it is only open three afternoons a week in the summer months it has become one of the most popular attractions in the region.

There are not many gardens in the south of Germany that are open to the public, and none at all that could be compared with the famous English gardens. So it is always a treat to visit this one which is more like a park than a garden and allows nature to play a hand.

The owner is an avid plant collector and has many unusual plants from the Himalaya region and Asia in general. But there are also native plants, flowers and trees mixed in with the more exotic.

On this particular visit the Hydrangeas were a highlight…

…as well as the Lilies…

…and the gorgeous pale yellow hollyhocks that have popped up everywhere…

Dotted around the grounds are various temples, gates, bridges, bells, prayer wheels, statues and figures that have been brought over from Asia or built in that style.

I like the ones that blend in with the planting best, but they do all add to the atmosphere, which is unique; the buzz of conversation at the entrance gate slowly subsides to a quiet hum as visitors move down past the pond and are drawn into the tranquility of the garden.

There are distinctive areas – the Japanese Garden, the Pond, the Chinese and Herb Gardens and the large area covering an old stone quarry, with bridges and bridge ‘houses’ along a pathway winding its way across, up and down the side of the hill. That is the part of the garden I like best, where nature is allowed to determine which flower or grass may dominate each year.

This year has been very wet and the native Melica ciliata has spread, creating a beautiful effect with the Coreopsis, Euphorbia, Perovskia and Eryngium.

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The temple itself is a focal point, with calming chants played in the background creating a very peaceful place to just sit and take a break. It was built as both a Buddhist temple and Hindu stupa, as a symbol of tolerance and understanding of the two religions.

Regular events raise money for the Nepal Himalaya Foundation established by the owners.

But I was there for the plants. And for inspiration, like this somewhat overgrown and wild spiral bed…

Or this glorious planting combination of spiky leaves, pink phlox and yellow lilies…

My friend and I took hundreds of photos, so this is just a taste of the flair and tranquility this garden has to offer. Hope you enjoyed the mini tour!

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https://www.nepal-himalaya-pavillon.de

And a link to a youtube video (only music) made by photographer Tobias Lindenmeir (https://www.naturphoto.net ):