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From Austere Baroque to National Romanticism
Dalarna boasts a series of beautiful and interesting gardens created from the 1600s to the present day.
Wealthy miners and some of our most famous authors and artists – along with their spouses – created gardens inspired by the Renaissance and Baroque, the Arts & Crafts movement, and National Romanticism. Many of them are well-maintained, while some require greater imagination from the visitor. Which ones pique your curiosity?
Overview Map
The map shows where the gardens described in the following sections are located, and as you can see, they are quite spread out. We recommend that you plan a few visits during the trip to Fryksås and a few on the way back. The map and the information on which it is based come from Gardens in Dalarna, and the map is clickable for a live version with more information.
The Miners' Gardens
The first six gardens described are known as the Miners' (or Mountain Mens') Gardens. In the 1600s, the Falun Mine was Sweden's largest workplace and had close ties with Europe and internationally. The miners and their families were farmers who operated smelters outside Falun and thus could own shares in the mine. Some became wealthy enough to build grand estates and were inspired by continental garden ideals to create splendid gardens with both beauty and utility.
Staberg Estate (Stabergs bergsmansgård)
The beautiful estate features a carefully renovated Baroque garden from the mid-1700s, with an orchard and herb garden arranged in strict sections and fish ponds at the bottom of the garden.
The estate has a café, a restaurant, a shop, and hiking trails in the area.
Linné's Wedding Cottage
In 1739, Carl von Linné married Sara Elisabeth Moraea at Svedens Gård. Here you will find a recreated 18th-century garden featuring, among other things, cultural plants and medicinal plants related to the region, as well as berry bushes.
The estate is classified as a historic building, a national Linné memorial, and is part of the Falun mining area's World Heritage Site.
During the summer, you can join a guided tour of the wedding cottage and the garden.
Karlfeldt (Karlfeldtgården) Estate in Karlbo
Erik Axel Karlfeldt was born in July 1864 and grew up at Tolvmansgården in Karlbo, but moved away with his family in 1885 when the estate was sold at an executive auction. The estate returned to the family's ownership through Karlfeldt's son Sune, who restored and developed the garden.
The estate features a traditional garden and a pleasure garden, inspired by monastic gardens and containing both decorative perennials as well as herbs and medicinal plants. A fountain marks the center of the four sections that divide the garden.
In the main building, you will find a café.
Ornäs Cottage (Ornässtugan)
The cottage is best known for Gustav Vasa's visit in December 1520, which ended with his betrayal and forced escape through the privy. It is also Sweden's second oldest museum, having opened in 1758.
You might be familiar with the Ornäs birch, which was designated as the national tree in the 1980s and can now be found in every municipality in Sweden. The leaves of the Ornäs birch still signal the progress of spring in the country today.
The estate has a café and Björkboden, which showcases the history of the Ornäs birch.
Stjärnsund Manor
The English park at Stjärnsund was initiated in 1799, complementing the already existing formal manor park. The new, large park featured bridges, ponds, a spring, a gazebo, and a bowling alley, as was fashionable at the time.
150 years later, the park began to deteriorate, and today you will find a park in a state of "Sleeping Beauty" slumber. Large parts of it still remain, giving a hint of how the park once looked, but the canals have overgrown, and the system of paths has partially disappeared.
The 18th-century manor house has a restaurant and a café.
The English Park at Kloster
The English Park at Kloster The manor at Kloster was built in 1760 and was then surrounded by a strict and formal park with avenues and utility plantings. In the early 1800s, Kloster expanded its operations with a rolling mill, marking the beginning of a golden era. The park established during this time was inspired by English romantic style ideals, with chestnuts, willows, and hazel trees providing shade for seating areas and a natural flora of lilies of the valley, orchids, and ferns. The many walking paths were connected by bridges built over the Kloster River.
After many years of neglect, parts of Kloster's manor park were restored and opened to visitors in 2019.
Stora Hyttnäs
Stora Hyttnäs in Sundborn was home to wealthy miners and a site for copper smelters during the heyday of Stora Kopparberget in the 1600s.
The garden is located by the water, just a stone's throw from Carl Larsson-gården. It was established by Henrika Linderdahl in the late 1800s and is an ornamental garden modeled after German designs.
In spring, the garden blooms with snowflakes and both red and white daphne. It also features one of Sweden's oldest apple trees, the Gubbäpple, dating back to the mid-1600s, large perennial borders, and a kitchen garden with heritage plants.
The buildings and garden have been declared historic monuments. During the summer, the Garden Café is open from 12 to 16.
Karlfeldtsgården - Sångs in Sjugare
Erik Axel Karlfeldt, born in Avesta and Nobel Laureate in Literature, had a great interest in plants and gardening. When he bought the estate that was named Sångs, he hired the garden architect Ester Claesson to design the garden. Ester completed her task and created a garden in the spirit of the times, inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement.
Ester was our first female garden architect, and her ideas of letting "nature prevail" aligned well with Karlfeldt's wishes. Flower beds in straight lines were important, but also wild meadows in soft shapes. Terraces with warming walls were built on the slope, and a pleasure garden with a bubbling fountain was created after medieval models. The addition of a gazebo, placed in seclusion, slightly elevated, completed the work.
The current owners manage and further develop the legacy by adding plant materials and creating beautiful compositions in the plantings. The estate is a private residence, and the public is welcome during special events. See the website for current information.
Turn-of-the-Century Gardens
Around the turn of the 19th century, many of Sweden's most famous artists, writers, and intellectuals could be found in Dalarna, having sought refuge from the dirt and noise of the big cities. The rural idyll was celebrated, and people of the turn of the century sought experiences in nature and gardens. The garden ideal reverted to what people had created, and the style that mimicked nature lost popularity.
Carl Larsson House (Carl Larsson-gården)
In 1888, famous Swedish artists Carl and Karin Larsson received the house Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn from Karin's father, Adolf Bergöö. Lilla Hyttnäs became Carl and Karin's joint art project, which over time evolved into a modern and personal architecture and interior design. Karin and Carl also created an outdoor environment that was an extension of their home. It was inspired by the arts and crafts ideals of the English Arts & Crafts movement and by their own travels and stays in places such as France.
The garden is an experience that serves as an extension of the house and the artists' lives.
The garden around Carl Larsson-gården is part of the Sundborn village, and the estate is a listed building.
Zorngården
In the center of Mora, next to the church, you will find Zorngården. The house was completed in 1910 and served as a meeting place and center for cultural figures of the time. Carl and Karin Larsson, for example, were good friends with Anders and Emma Zorn, and examples of their friends' art can be found in both homes.
In addition to kitchen plants and fruit trees, the garden also featured roses, including the unique hybrid "Emma Zorn." There is also a statue of Zorn in the garden.
According to the wishes of the Zorns, the garden has been preserved and is partially used as it was in their time. Café Zorn is a later addition, located in the old stable, offering a lovely view of the garden.
The Zorn Museum and the fine shop, with both souvenirs and Dalarna crafts, are well worth a visit.
Disponentparken i Grängesberg
The Disponent's Villa and the park belonging to Grängesberg Mines were completed in 1896. The English park includes a kitchen garden, an orchard, and a rhododendron valley – very fashionable when the park was established.
The park is a popular excursion destination, and much of what is grown here can be found on the menu in the café, which offers homemade baked goods and simple lunches year-round.
Munthe's Hildasholm
Dalarna's most authentic turn-of-the-century English garden can be found at Hildasholm. The garden was established by Hilda Pennington-Mellor, who received the estate as a wedding gift from Axel Munthe in 1908. Born and raised in England, Hilda came from a strong gardening tradition and incorporated many ideas and principles from her homeland into her new garden.
The garden features a sequence of garden rooms, each with its own character and theme. Some are filled with various types of flowers, while others contain topiary trees and hedges.
At the café, you can purchase a coffee basket to take out into the garden.
The estate is protected as a historic building.
The English park at Grängshammar
The English park at Grängshammar Ironworks is the oldest in Dalarna, established from 1785 as an addition to the more formal Baroque garden that already existed. The park was completed a year into the new century.
Grängshammar's pioneering status, despite the ironworks not being the largest by any means, could be attributed to the Silverstråhle family's strong connection to the royal court for several generations. King Gustav III was a strong proponent of the new garden ideal and had established Hagaparken north of Stockholm.
Grängshammar is a popular destination along the cultural route Silverringen, and the park was re-inaugurated on September 10, 2023.
From Austere Baroque to National Romanticism
Dalarna boasts a series of beautiful and interesting gardens created from the 1600s to the present day.
Wealthy miners and some of our most famous authors and artists – along with their spouses – created gardens inspired by the Renaissance and Baroque, the Arts & Crafts movement, and National Romanticism. Many of them are well-maintained, while some require greater imagination from the visitor. Which ones pique your curiosity?
Overview Map
The map shows where the gardens described in the following sections are located, and as you can see, they are quite spread out. Therefore, it is recommended to plan a few visits during the trip to Fryksås and a few on the way back. The map and the information on which it is based come from Gardens in Dalarna, and the map is clickable for a live version with more information.
The Miners' Gardens
The first six gardens described are known as the Miners' (or Mountain Mens') Gardens. In the 1600s, the Falun Mine was Sweden's largest workplace and had close ties with Europe and internationally. The miners and their families were farmers who operated smelters outside Falun and thus could own shares in the mine. Some became wealthy enough to build grand estates and were inspired by continental garden ideals to create splendid gardens with both beauty and utility.
Engelska parken i Grängshammar
Den engelska parken vid Grängshammars bruk är den äldsta i Dalarna och anlades från 1785 som ett tillägg till den stramare barockträdgård som redan fanns. Parkenanläggningen stod färdig ett år in på det nya seklet.
Att Grängshammar var först ut, trots att bruket inte på något sätt var det största, kan bero på att bruksägarfamiljen Silverstråhle hade haft en stark relation till hovet i flera generationer. Kung Gustaf III var en stark anhängare av det nya trädgårdsidealet, och hade låtit anlägga Hagaparken norr om Stockholm.
Grängshammar är ett populärt besöksmål längs kulturslingan Silverringen och parken återinvigdes den 10 september 2023.
Staberg Estate (Stabergs bergsmansgård)
The beautiful estate features a carefully renovated Baroque garden from the mid-1700s, with an orchard and herb garden arranged in strict sections and fish ponds at the bottom of the garden.
The estate has a café, a restaurant, a shop, and hiking trails in the area.
Karlfeldt (Karlfeldtgården) Estate in Karlbo
Erik Axel Karlfeldt was born in July 1864 and grew up at Tolvmansgården in Karlbo, but moved away with his family in 1885 when the estate was sold at an executive auction. The estate returned to the family's ownership through Karlfeldt's son Sune, who restored and developed the garden.
The estate features a traditional garden and a pleasure garden, inspired by monastic gardens and containing both decorative perennials as well as herbs and medicinal plants. A fountain marks the center of the four sections that divide the garden.
In the main building, you will find a café.
Linné's Wedding Cottage
In 1739, Carl von Linné married Sara Elisabeth Moraea at Svedens Gård. Here you will find a recreated 18th-century garden featuring, among other things, cultural plants and medicinal plants related to the region, as well as berry bushes.
The estate is classified as a historic building, a national Linné memorial, and is part of the Falun mining area's World Heritage Site.
During the summer, you can join a guided tour of the wedding cottage and the garden.
Ornäs Cottage (Ornässtugan)
The cottage is best known for Gustav Vasa's visit in December 1520, which ended with his betrayal and forced escape through the privy. It is also Sweden's second oldest museum, having opened in 1758.
You might be familiar with the Ornäs birch, which was designated as the national tree in the 1980s and can now be found in every municipality in Sweden. The leaves of the Ornäs birch still signal the progress of spring in the country today.
The estate has a café and Björkboden, which showcases the history of the Ornäs birch.
Stjärnsund Manor
The English park at Stjärnsund was initiated in 1799, complementing the already existing formal manor park. The new, large park featured bridges, ponds, a spring, a gazebo, and a bowling alley, as was fashionable at the time.
150 years later, the park began to deteriorate, and today you will find a park in a state of "Sleeping Beauty" slumber. Large parts of it still remain, giving a hint of how the park once looked, but the canals have overgrown, and the system of paths has partially disappeared.
The 18th-century manor house has a restaurant and a café.
The English Park at Kloster
The English Park at Kloster The manor at Kloster was built in 1760 and was then surrounded by a strict and formal park with avenues and utility plantings. In the early 1800s, Kloster expanded its operations with a rolling mill, marking the beginning of a golden era. The park established during this time was inspired by English romantic style ideals, with chestnuts, willows, and hazel trees providing shade for seating areas and a natural flora of lilies of the valley, orchids, and ferns. The many walking paths were connected by bridges built over the Kloster River.
After many years of neglect, parts of Kloster's manor park were restored and opened to visitors in 2019.
Stora Hyttnäs
Stora Hyttnäs in Sundborn was home to wealthy miners and a site for copper smelters during the heyday of Stora Kopparberget in the 1600s.
The garden is located by the water, just a stone's throw from Carl Larsson-gården. It was established by Henrika Linderdahl in the late 1800s and is an ornamental garden modeled after German designs.
In spring, the garden blooms with snowflakes and both red and white daphne. It also features one of Sweden's oldest apple trees, the Gubbäpple, dating back to the mid-1600s, large perennial borders, and a kitchen garden with heritage plants.
The buildings and garden have been declared historic monuments. During the summer, the Garden Café is open from 12 to 16.
Karlfeldtsgården - Sångs in Sjugare
Erik Axel Karlfeldt, born in Avesta and Nobel Laureate in Literature, had a great interest in plants and gardening. When he bought the estate that was named Sångs, he hired the garden architect Ester Claesson to design the garden. Ester completed her task and created a garden in the spirit of the times, inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement.
Ester was our first female garden architect, and her ideas of letting "nature prevail" aligned well with Karlfeldt's wishes. Flower beds in straight lines were important, but also wild meadows in soft shapes. Terraces with warming walls were built on the slope, and a pleasure garden with a bubbling fountain was created after medieval models. The addition of a gazebo, placed in seclusion, slightly elevated, completed the work.
The current owners manage and further develop the legacy by adding plant materials and creating beautiful compositions in the plantings. The estate is a private residence, and the public is welcome during special events. See the website for current information.
Turn-of-the-Century Gardens
Around the turn of the 19th century, many of Sweden's most famous artists, writers, and intellectuals could be found in Dalarna, having sought refuge from the dirt and noise of the big cities. The rural idyll was celebrated, and people of the turn of the century sought experiences in nature and gardens. The garden ideal reverted to what people had created, and the style that mimicked nature lost popularity.
Carl Larsson House (Carl Larsson-gården)
In 1888, famous Swedish artists Carl and Karin Larsson received the house Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn from Karin's father, Adolf Bergöö. Lilla Hyttnäs became Carl and Karin's joint art project, which over time evolved into a modern and personal architecture and interior design. Karin and Carl also created an outdoor environment that was an extension of their home. It was inspired by the arts and crafts ideals of the English Arts & Crafts movement and by their own travels and stays in places such as France.
The garden is an experience that serves as an extension of the house and the artists' lives.
The garden around Carl Larsson-gården is part of the Sundborn village, and the estate is a listed building.
Munthe's Hildasholm
Dalarna's most authentic turn-of-the-century English garden can be found at Hildasholm. The garden was established by Hilda Pennington-Mellor, who received the estate as a wedding gift from Axel Munthe in 1908. Born and raised in England, Hilda came from a strong gardening tradition and incorporated many ideas and principles from her homeland into her new garden.
The garden features a sequence of garden rooms, each with its own character and theme. Some are filled with various types of flowers, while others contain topiary trees and hedges.
At the café, you can purchase a coffee basket to take out into the garden.
The estate is protected as a historic building.
Zorngården
In the center of Mora, next to the church, you will find Zorngården. The house was completed in 1910 and served as a meeting place and center for cultural figures of the time. Carl and Karin Larsson, for example, were good friends with Anders and Emma Zorn, and examples of their friends' art can be found in both homes.
In addition to kitchen plants and fruit trees, the garden also featured roses, including the unique hybrid "Emma Zorn." There is also a statue of Zorn in the garden.
According to the wishes of the Zorns, the garden has been preserved and is partially used as it was in their time. Café Zorn is a later addition, located in the old stable, offering a lovely view of the garden.
The Zorn Museum and the fine shop, with both souvenirs and Dalarna crafts, are well worth a visit.
Disponentparken i Grängesberg
The Disponent's Villa and the park belonging to Grängesberg Mines were completed in 1896. The English park includes a kitchen garden, an orchard, and a rhododendron valley – very fashionable when the park was established.
The park is a popular excursion destination, and much of what is grown here can be found on the menu in the café, which offers homemade baked goods and simple lunches year-round.
The English park at Grängshammar
The English park at Grängshammar Ironworks is the oldest in Dalarna, established from 1785 as an addition to the more formal Baroque garden that already existed. The park was completed a year into the new century.
Grängshammar's pioneering status, despite the ironworks not being the largest by any means, could be attributed to the Silverstråhle family's strong connection to the royal court for several generations. King Gustav III was a strong proponent of the new garden ideal and had established Hagaparken north of Stockholm.
Grängshammar is a popular destination along the cultural route Silverringen, and the park was re-inaugurated on September 10, 2023.