Opening of the Garden of the Future: Nature comes to life in Schiltern!

Opening of the Garden of the Future: Nature comes to life in Schiltern!

On September 7, 2025, the ceremonial opening of the new theme garden “Time Travel – Future Natural Garden” took place in the Kittenberger Adventure Gardens in Schiltern near Langenlois. This event was attended by important personalities such as State Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Wolfgang Sobotka, the President of the “European Garden Association – Nature in the Garden International”, Reinhard Kittenberger and the organic gardener Karl Ploberger. The new garden combines the past, present and future of organic garden culture and is an expansion of the already extensive offering in the Kittenberg adventure gardens, which are over 60,000 m² in size and include 50 different themed gardens.

During the opening ceremony, Mikl-Leitner praised the 25-year history of the “Nature in the Garden” initiative and thanked Reinhard Kittenberger and his team for their outstanding work. This initiative has not only established itself in Lower Austria, where there are currently 70 adventure gardens and 99 “Nature in the Garden” show gardens, but has also spread to 29 European regions. In total, almost 480 communities and 190 partner companies are part of this exemplary project, which passes on knowledge about sustainable gardening practices, especially to the younger generation. The horticultural school plays a crucial role here.

Diverse theme gardens and natural garden concept

The Kittenberg adventure gardens, which are not only known for their thematic diversity, also contain the largest herb spiral in Europe. These gardens are the result of continuous care by Reinhard Kittenberger and his team, who are committed to the principles of organic gardening. A sustainable approach is taken here, from the use of natural fertilizers such as compost to the promotion of beneficial insects. The natural garden is designed as a space that includes wildflower meadows and winding paths and is based on the principles of nature conservation and recreation for people in residential areas.

The concept of the natural garden, also known as an eco-garden, is designed to promote native wild animals and plants. These natural gardens are based on natural models and are designed like naturally grown spaces. The preferred planting of long-lived, easy-care native species is a central element that is linked to the aim of making a contribution to nature conservation.

During the opening, symbolic acts were also carried out, including planting a tree, writing wishes for the future on seed paper and burying a time capsule, documenting the transition into a new era of garden culture. The celebration was accompanied musically by the “Floraphoniker”.

The natural garden movement, which in Austria finds expression in the “Nature in the Garden” initiative, has become increasingly important in recent decades. Similar movements have been established in Germany and Switzerland that promote environmentally friendly and sustainable garden management, although critics note that sometimes native plants are given one-sided preference, which can limit design options. Nevertheless, the trend towards ecological and natural gardens is clearly visible and is also gaining momentum internationally.