Spring paradise

Bid farewell to winter with the Berliner Staudenmarkt! As flowering liverwort, cyclamen and Corydalis add the first splashes of colour to the garden, the spring market at Berlin’s Botanic Gardens kicks off the season with herbaceous perennials, shrubs, bulbs and seeds for this year’s summer bloom.

Plants for all seasons

The Staudenmarkt herbaceous perennials fair has made a name for itself with its wealth of plant species and varieties – including some real rarities – many of them from organic plant nurseries. Eighty of the best and most renowned growers from all over Germany have been invited to take part in the event. Gardening experts are at hand with tips and advice, such as how to grow the rare Trachystemon orientalis (also known as Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) or how to coax several consecutive blooms out of Delphiniums and roses. Berliner Forsten, BUND and special-interest plant societies offer information and await your questions.

Raised beds – a first at the Staudenmarkt

Set your compost heap in a timber, metal or plastic frame and turn it into a fertile, back-friendly raised bed that can offer especially rich harvests or glorious flower displays. If you need more compost for this, a guided tour of the TerraBoGa research project will give you some pointers on how your kitchen and garden waste can be transformed into rich, fecund soil.

Fresh herbs as a source of vitamins

Spring is the ideal time to supplement your diet with fresh herbs such as chervil, chives or mustard greens. The new Japanese variety ‘Mizuna’ can be bought complete with delicious recipes for inspiration.

Accessorise your garden

Hand-crafted garden ornaments, quality furniture and traditional gardening tools add the finishing touches to your garden or balcony. And finally, once you’ve taken in all the delights the market has to offer, you can replenish your energy with a tasty choice of culinary offerings.