A garden for people and nature
On the edge of the Rabensteiner Forest, Anja Herrmann and Maik Irmscher have been creating a garden since 2021 that is more than just a relaxing retreat. What began as a small project is an example of how living and gardening can be in harmony with nature.
What brought you here?
Anja Herrmann: We were looking for a green living room for the soul, as a contrast to our city flat. We also fancied developing a long-term project together – creating something, pottering about. But as we didn’t see ourselves joining a large allotment association with all the responsibilities that entails, we applied here and were lucky, because the location by the forest is brilliant.
What motivated you, in general, to take up gardening or nature-based gardening?
Anja Herrmann: For one thing, we naturally find space and time here to relax. We look out at the greenery for five minutes and it’s like pressing the reset button – our heart rates slow down.
Maik Irmscher: Yes, exactly – as a counterbalance to a stressful job, it’s also lovely to do something relaxing with your hands or simply to observe. On the other hand, species extinction is so prominent in the media that we initially felt helpless. But then we asked ourselves: what can we do to help? How can we provide a safe haven for plants and animals here? That’s how the vision of a living sanctuary took shape – a place teeming with life at every turn, where insects buzz and birds nest. And all we can do is watch and marvel.
What did you find when you arrived, and how did you get started?
Anja Herrmann: To begin with, there was just lawn and rhododendrons here. And we didn’t know anything about natural gardening either, but I personally have a clear aesthetic vision. To complement this, Maik is the hands-on type, with a real enthusiasm for putting things into practice. By reading a lot and learning from others, we delved deeper into the subject step by step. Instagram and Facebook groups provided us with inspiration, whilst books such as *Die Wildnis im Garten* (*The Wilderness in the Garden*) by the Butterfly Brothers taught us fundamental ecological principles. We made some mistakes at the start, such as thoughtlessly choosing plants with double flowers, which are of little value for ecological diversity. But over time, and with the help of plant identification apps, we corrected these and made room for native and insect-friendly plants.
Maik Irmscher: And we then realised that a natural garden requires much less work; for example, it’s enough simply to mow paths through the lawn and leave the rest to stand or lie as it is over the winter. We then gradually created various small habitats such as perennial beds, dry stone walls, a sandarium, a Benjes hedge, a water feature, a small flowering area and a deadwood pile. These provide a habitat, nesting opportunities and places of refuge for a wide variety of plants and animals.
Anja Herrmann: We’ve divided up the site with stone-slab paths so that they offer different lines of sight as you walk along them. And we’ve followed one guiding principle: not everything you build has to be new. So we’ve recycled a lot or used natural materials that were already available, such as when building the pergola for the dining area or adding small aesthetic touches.
Maik Irmscher: All the projects have evolved over time – that is, over the last five years. And we’ve also been able to really observe how wildlife has moved in here.
You received a natural garden award as part of the nationwide ‘Thousands of Gardens – Thousands of Species’ campaign. Why did you take part in the award scheme?
Anja Herrmann: The certificate wasn’t important to us at all. But we wanted the sign to show that this type of gardening exists, one that makes an important contribution to nature. Perhaps it will actually prompt someone to ask themselves – or us – what can be done. Also, the east was under-represented among the positive examples. We wanted to show that there are active people here too.
Maik Irmscher: What’s more, the on-site visit by the assessors gave us another chance to speak with experts. And finally, it offers the chance to meet like-minded people, pick up new ideas or simply spend a lovely day in the countryside.
What advice would you give others on nature-friendly gardening?
Anja Herrmann: It’s important just to get started. And then it’s enough to explore and put into practice environmentally sound approaches, step by step.
Maik Irmscher: It can be a lovely and meaningful way to spend your free time. Especially when you observe the results: how the plants develop over the course of the year, the bird taking a bath, the grass snake that suddenly turns up. It’s pure joy every single time.