The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle

On the sunny slope above Meran, where once the Austrian Empress Sissi went for her strolls, are situated the terraced gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. The gardens promise “the world in one garden”: ancient cultivated plants, the cacti and succulents mound, the Landscapes of South Tyrol, deciduous trees and conifers, tea- and rice terraces characterize the beautifully cared for gardens.

The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle are divided into four sections

Sun Gardens
Ancient cultivated plants of the Mediterranean like lemon trees, grapevines, cypresses and lavender which create the unmistakable ambience of the South, are growing in the Sun Gardens. On the southern slope underneath the castle lies Italy’s northernmost olive grove; the nearby cactus- and succulent gardens leave a breath of desert in the air.

Water- and Terraced Gardens
The Water- and Terraced Gardens bring together a wide variety of different types of gardens: stepped paths lead to the formal Italian-style Garden, to the English Garden of Herbaceous Perennials and to the Sensual Garden. The steps are accompanied by watercourses that flow into the gently curving water-lily pond.

Landscapes of South Tyrol
The Gardens dedicated to South Tyrol exhibit the variety of the local natural and cultural landscape: cornfields, orchards, chestnut groves and a multitude of different tree species may be admired in this section of the Botanic Garden.

Forests of the World
In the Forests of the World, deciduous trees and conifers of American and Asiatic origin grow alongside each other. Tea- and rice terraces from the Far East as well as a Japanese Garden are situated in the immediate vicinity.