Under the motto “Join us for the new gardening year!”, Bamberg’s gardeners cordially invite you to the “Open Market Garden Day” on Sunday, April 28, 2024—the eleventh edition of this event. On that day, the gates of the large market gardens in Bamberg, the “City of Gardeners” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will open, offering exclusive glimpses into the city’s green landscape. Exactly twelve market gardens from across the city—ranging from vegetable, fruit, herb, and ornamental plant market gardens to perennial gardens—will offer fascinating insights into their daily work. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., they invite visitors to look, marvel, and get involved.

In addition to professional tips and explanations of the latest gardening trends from master gardeners, the springtime splendor of blooms also entices visitors to stroll through the historic ambiance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. “The Garden City, as one of the three parts of the World Heritage Site, is something very special,” says Dr. Simona von Eyb, Director of the Bamberg World Heritage Center. “The market gardens preserve an incredible body of knowledge about nature, serve as a model for the sustainable use of the land, and create green spaces in the city that contribute greatly to our high quality of life. They demonstrate resilience and centuries of continuity. They impress with their fascinating traditions and, above all, with the great passion of the people who have kept them alive. The Open Market Gardens Day offers a wonderful opportunity to explore this part of our World Heritage and benefit from the gardeners’ knowledge.”

Garden enthusiasts will have the opportunity to learn interesting facts about the day-to-day work of master gardeners, find out about the design of themed gardens, or marvel at many heirloom varieties and rare plants in the “Tomato Paradise.” Is there a “snail alert” in the garden? Experienced gardeners will demonstrate natural ways to control them. There’s also a wide range of activities for young guests: kids can paint wooden bees, make dreamcatchers or funny grass heads, and print colorful flower meadows. In case of bad weather, the many greenhouses offer a fun refuge. Delicacies prepared by the gardeners, such as “Blaue Zipfel nach Gärtnerinnen Art,” grilled char, “Bambercher Broodworschd,” and vegetarian and vegan treats made from “Bambercher Gmüs,” will delight your palate. These are accompanied by gardener’s lemonade, rhubarb secco, and specially crafted gardener’s cocktails. Beer lovers can choose from a variety of Hopfengarten’s own craft beers.

Admission to all nurseries is free. This year, as in previous years, guests with limited mobility can easily reach nurseries located outside the city center using free electric shuttles. A list of participating market gardens, the program booklet, and much more information can be found at www.gaertnerstadt-bamberg.de.

Those who would like to learn more in advance about the participating market gardens, the historic gardening culture, and the Gardener’s Trail can do so in the fifth edition of the Gardener’s City Guide. This popular guide to Bamberg’s Gardener’s City is available at the displays of Bamberg’s gardeners, as well as at the World Heritage Visitor Center on the Untere Mühlen.

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In addition to the gardeners’ houses, the unique features of Bamberg’s Garden City include the inner-city cultivation areas, which contributed to the designation of Bamberg’s Old Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the Middle Ages, Bamberg’s gardeners have been growing their produce in this district, exporting it far beyond the region—then as now. With their remarkable perseverance, the gardeners have held on to their inner-city production areas, thereby preserving the medieval urban structure to this day.

About the Open Market Garden

The Open Maket Garden Day was first held in Bamberg in 2011 as part of the “Urban Horticulture” project, a collaboration between the IG Bamberger Gärtner and the Bamberg World Heritage Center. Since then, it has taken place annually and has quickly grown into a major regional event attracting up to 10,000 visitors.

Captions: Last year, visitors strolled leisurely through the greenhouses and across the open spaces in perfect spring weather.

Photo: Bamberg City Archives, Jürgen Schraudner