The Reserved Gardens are the royal family’s private sanctuary and consist of the innermost part of Fredensborg Palace Gardens, right beside Fredensborg Palace.
Normally, the Reserved Gardens are closed to the public. The gardens are only open to the public in July, and if the royal family are not in residence in the palace. The Gardens contain ornamental gardens with such varied styles as French Baroque and English-inspired Romantic. The herb garden and orangery from 1995 are usually open for guided tours in July.
History and Architecture
The Private Gardens consist of an ornamental garden, a kitchen garden and an orangery. The ornamental garden still retains many beautiful elements worthy of conservation from the original French baroque garden established in the period 1720 to 1770, such as Marmorhaven (Marble Garden) designed by the French landscape architect N. H. Jardin in 1763-65.
Sculptures
Some of the sculptures in the Marmorhaven were carved by the sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt. The Menageriøen, the Sneglebakken and Schambachs Allé all stem from the earliest designs of the gardens.
The Danish royal family has always displayed a keen interest in landscape gardening. Her Majesty Queen Ingrid has continued this tradition into our time.
English Landscape Garden
She had the garden designed as an English landscape garden with winding paths, large rhododendron groves, perennial beds and a rose garden. In the layout of the rose garden Queen Ingrid found inspiration in the pavement of Capitol in Rome.
Clusters of oak, beech, sweet chestnut, ornamental cherry trees, mulberry trees, magnolia trees, exotic trees and shrubs still embellish the garden. The garden also contains one of Denmark's largest tulip trees and sweetgums, planted about 1850.
The Orangery
In 1995, a new and modern orangery was founded through the active participation of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe. The Orangeriet stores Denmark's oldest myrtles, believed to be at least 250 years old. The myrtles originated in the long demolished orangery at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. Today, they adorn the Menageriøen during the summer period. Simultaneously with the establishment of the Orangeriet, the kitchen garden was replanned, inspired by plans from the Baroque gardens of the 18th century.
Every day, the kitchen garden supplies fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit for the royal kitchen as well as flowers for the royal apartments in the palace.
Last updated:: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
