London – Tower gardens
In the novel “Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Vernes, London is the starting point for a journey around the world: Phileas Fogg and his servant Passepartout begin their adventures in the famous Victoria Station.

London is a metropolis with historic buildings and old traditions: Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, the Royal Parks or the British crown jewels inspire numerous tourists. In addition, modern buildings such as the millennium dome and 30 St Mary Axe, also frequently called “the gherkin” are among the attractions of the cityscape.

Brindisi, Italy – wine-growing

The province Brindisi in the Apulia region of Italy is renowned for its red and rosé wine that is still harvested traditionally today and stored in wooden barrels for at least two years.  

The garden is also reminiscent of a place steeped in history, the end of the Via Appia: its design draws on the historic building substance, giving the visitors a deeper insight into the merchandise brought to Italy via Brindski, the “gateway to the Orient.” 

The design of the garden is based on the winegrowing tradition. The visitors walk between the vines, breathe in the scent of freshly cooked fish recipes and mildly spicy anti-pasti and take pleasure in the experience true to the Italian toast “fare un brindisi”.

Suez – the canal and the desert

Way back in 1864 this important waterway was established to connect Europe with Asia: the 163 kilometre-long Suez Canal begins in the Mediterranean at the harbour town of Port Said and ends in the Red Sea at the town Suez, which gave the canal its name.

The landscape around the artificial waterway is characterised by desert landscape: sand stretches as far as the eye can see and there are no signs of vegetation. In contrast there is plenty of action on the canal:  Every day more than sixty container ships pass through the most important shipping route in the world.

The garden “Desert River” illustrates the contrast between the bleak desert landscape and the flourishing canal. The global container trade is the main focus of interest in this garden. What opportunities and advantages are provided by container transport? Which merchandise is transported?

Mumbai – between spices and Bollywood

Experience, taste and smell India! No other country is as colourful, lively and rich in spices. This garden entices visitors into an unfamiliar world and radiates magical charm. The colourful bazar garden provides the opportunity to relax, daydream or be entertained. It is like the beginning of a holiday in an oriental pavilion: relaxing in a gigantic landscape of cushions, rich colours and gentle music pamper the senses. Over a cup of tea or while sampling spices, travellers can also discover the culinary delights of the subcontinent. 

What would Mumbai be without Bollywood? This garden would of course not be complete without a colourful, vibrant Indian film studio.

Calcutta – tea: growing, production processing

India is commonly considered to be one of the most important countries for the cultivation of the different kinds of tea popular around the world. The garden “Tea Time” educates visitors on how to cultivate tea, and to harvest and process it, and also provides information about the tea cultivation areas and the working conditions in the tea industry. 

The sight of the tea plantation environment has a calming effect. The plants seem to nestle themselves gently into the slope, curled slightly, head-to-head. Among them the hard-working female pickers in their colourful saris.

How about finishing up with a cup of freshly-brewed tea?

Singapore – buccaneers and pirates Children's playground

Even before Phileas Fogg and Passepartout sailed around the world, the peninsula Singapore was notorious as a haven for buccaneers and pirates. During the garden show the children and young guests in pirate costumes can gain the upper hand in the Straits of Malacca. In the playground with its pirate island and buccaneer ship they can plunder gold and jewellery and conquer passing ships.

Hong Kong – cultivating pearls

Visitors will be enchanted by the world of pearls in the garden 'Asia's Pearl'. Pearls of the most varied colours and sizes can be fascinating. Will the pearl garden turn out to be a place of peace and quiet, of beauty and relaxation?

The history of pearls is closely linked to the history of humankind. All the great civilizations have appreciated them. Arabs and Indians have loved them passionately since time immemorial. Nowadays, men seek to seduce the women they admire with pearls, while princes and kings of old decorated their women with these wonders of nature, thereby demonstrating their power and wealth. Prosperous Asians collected pearls to delight in their beauty, some considered them to have healing and invigorating properties ...

Pearls bring Hindus luck, Arabs prosperity, Chinese health, and Egyptians love. To the ancient Greeks, the word 'pearl' etymologically meant purity, while for the Romans, it signified love and passion.

Shanghai – cotton, textile production and industry

In the traditional Chinese garden the visitors become familiar with Far Eastern garden design and philosophy. The goal of the Chinese garden is to embody the harmony of earth, heaven, stones, water, buildings, paths and plants, making it tangible and perceptible for the visitors. 

A special theme is embedded in this Chinese garden landscape: cotton. Visitors to the garden not only learn about the cotton plant but also encounter all kinds of information about the way the plants are processed and how the cotton is used in the textile industry. All the production phases from the plant to the finished textile product can be actively followed.

Yokohama, Japan – silk culture and silk production

This garden presents Japan as the biggest silk manufacturer worldwide and the supplier of this wonderful material. Step by step, visitors to the garden can follow the process of the silk production. The silk drapes that decorate the garden transform it into a place of inspiration and enchantment. An oasis and an inviting place to meditate and relax amidst the weightlessness of the swaying material.

Time warp – sundial, weather

The date line is an arbitrarily determined time frame. When it is crossed, a day is lost or gained. The line was required when the time zones were established and was introduced in 1845. It is located in the Pacific because there is no area of connected land there and because this ocean was crossed less frequently than the Atlantic. Why did we begin to count the years and create divisions of dates? How is this connected with the time of day and the position of the sun? The garden reveals more about these themes.

New York – multiculturality, immigration, and cultures living together today

New York has been a major destination for immigrants for centuries. Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million immigrants arrived at Ellis Island, the central point for immigration. Many of the migrants had left Germany via the port of Hamburg to begin a new life in the US.

Today, New York is still characterized by migration and by many cultures living side by side. Here people from all continents live together, which is why New York is also called a melting pot of nations. The multicultural nature of New York's urban society is also reflected in the most varied facets, including multinational cuisine, festivals, and especially neighbourhoods such as Chinatown and Little Italy.

Colourful gardens grow on empty lots or open spaces in the inner city, and people from the most varied nations tend the gardens together. These open garden projects give people a space for intercultural dialogue and an opportunity to grow their own food.