Charity Registered No. 1141012

Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) Koblenz Garden Festival 2011

Norwich and Norfolk Twin City Friendship Garden

During 2010 Friends of Norwich in Bloom Chris Southgate and George Ishmael worked with FNIB colleagues and partners to plan a Norwich and Norfolk Twin City Friendship Garden featuring Norwich Crocosmia Heritage Varieties.

Chris and George travelled to Koblenz, Germany on the 4th April in a fine VW Crafter vehicle, kindly provided by Barford Hire, with a big load of plants and materials.  Their mission was to construct a Friendship garden on the site of the Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) Garden Festival ready for the opening on Friday 15th April.  This is the first time that the Friends have built a garden overseas.

The Friendship garden has been designed by George Ishmael, to be reminiscent of the many medieval churches in Norwich.  As the BUGA Garden Festival opened on April 15 and runs until October 16, many of the plants are herbaceous perennials or grasses, which should stand and remain attractive throughout.  These plants are laid out in the “New Wave” style, which has been widely employed in parks and open spaces across Norwich over the last ten years. 

Above left - George Ishmaels Plan               Above right - The window frame under construction in George Ishmaels garden

Most of the selected plants have come from Howard Nurseries of Wortham, near Diss.  We really appreciate their great help and support in this fresh venture.  One really spectacular plant is the day-lily Cathy’s Sunset, which was actually bred by Howard’s.  www.howardnurseries.co.uk

Other plants in hidden containers are on show immediately in front of the gothic “window” which is the main architectural feature, reaching over three metres high and more than two metres wide.  The window frame is constructed mainly from recycled materials, including old timber sourced locally, plus iron fixtures and fittings from a friendly Norfolk farmer.  The bench pew has been carefully protected against the elements and was originally located at St. John de Sepulchre church in Finkelgate.  

Above - Chris Southgate loading the Barford Van and arrival at Koblenz

The “window” feature has stained glass panels, with a wave effect, created and fashioned by Sarah Bristow in her Norwich studio, off Unthank Road.  Sarah also created an etched glass panel for the window, bearing the names and profiles of a number of Norwich churches, so highlighting the many medieval churches which still exist in our Fine City. www.glassworksstudio.co.uk

The garden also holds a magnificent flower symbol sculpture, which has been specially designed by Martin Pigg in his Norwich workshop.  www.naturalsculpture.co.uk His work typically represents “growth and new beginnings” which is particularly appropriate for our garden setting.  The sculpture is made entirely of English oak and sits upon an impressive, but huge, heavy base.  The weight did cause a few problems.  A fork-lift truck was needed to remove it from the Barford’s van, plus a team of hefty Koblenz workmen to manoeuvre it into position. 

Above left and middle - George and Chris construct the Friendship Garden                 Above right - Martin Piggs sculpture

Our garden also takes the opportunity to remind of the heritage of Crocosmia breeding here in Norwich.  As detailed elsewhere on this website, Norwich has a proud association with the early breeding of Crocosmias at Earlham Hall, Westwick Hall and more recently at Bressingham Gardens.  So from the end of May, the hidden containers will display a succession of Crocosmias in variety in a prominent position.  Our intention is that the red-orange- yellow palette of their flowers should be enhanced by the stained glass panels above and behind them.

For the months of April and May, the hidden containers hold tulips in carefully chosen colours.  One such delightful item is the Late Viridflora tulip ‘Yellow Spring Green’, whose yellow with a green flush will be redolent of the Norwich City Football club strip.  

All the plants and features travelled from Norfolk to Koblenz by van, crossing the North Sea on the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry, with George Ishmael and Chris Southgate as drivers, porters and riggers!   They took more than three long days to build the garden by hand, reviving their carpentry skills as they went along.  But on the final day and as the garden was still unfinished, local help was offered.  Two Koblenz city managers who normally work in offices, volunteered to help complete the garden.  Their generous support was another example of the spirit of friendship which exists between the twin cities of Norwich and Koblenz. 

Finance for this exciting project has come from the City of Koblenz via Norwich City Council.  We are also grateful for the immense support we have received from the other organisations and individuals.

Above - Bill Webster and George Ishmael hold Earlham Hybrid Crocosmia paintings by Bill and on display in Koblenz

During the winter months of 2010 and 11 Friends of Norwich in Bloom Ambassador Bill Webster has been busy painting several water colours of Norfolk and Norwich Crocosmia Hybrids.  Eight of these have been copied as decoration onto the bi-lingual sign for visitors to the Norwich garden.  Later the paintings will be gifts to the Lord Mayor of Koblenz and other dignitaries.

Above - The completed Norwich Friendship Garden - ready to grow and bloom during the festival

MORE TO FOLLOW

Visit www.buga2011.de/web/en/index.php

Norfolk and Norwich Koblenz Friendship Association

Links with Koblenz and the BUGA Festival

The Norfolk and Norwich Koblenz Friendship Association was founded in 1980 and has 130 members.  Their President is Waltraud Jarrold.  See Norwich City Council website, under twinning links, for more details..

A group of more than thirty NNKFA members are soon travelling to Koblenz by coach and ferry.  They will spend two days of their trip visiting the BUGA gardens and will attend a reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Koblenz.

The Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) is hosted every couple of years in a different German city.  Koblenz is the venue for 2011, which will see the regeneration of several historic areas.  Koblenz was badly bombed during wartime but is now an attractive modern city and visitor destination.  Excellent shops, characterful restaurants and even a long quay for the Rhine and Moselle cruise boats add interest.  Nearby are cycle paths and splendid walks along the river banks and into the vineyards. 

The BUGA Festival includes music, dancing and other cultural events, many performed on a large open-air stage.  As one of the twinned cities, Norwich has sent a group of performers to illustrate some of the cultural life of our city.