An Organic Garden in Denmark Retains Its Wild Side
A mother and daughter lovingly tend their natural-looking cottage garden filled with fruits, vegetables and flowers
Helle Sindal
July 8, 2018
Maja Egelund’s organic garden near Aarhus, Denmark, is chock-full of her favorite flowers and vegetables. The homeowner and her daughter, Karla, welcome as much natural beauty as they can into their garden and carefully cultivate its year-round charm without betraying its wild soul.
Garden at a Glance
Who gardens here: Maja Egelund, 40; her husband; their daughter, Karla, 11; and the family dog, Teddy
Location: Højbjerg, central Denmark
Size: About 6,450 square feet (600 square meters)
“We’ve had the garden for six years,” says Egelund, pictured with Karla. “We completely changed it when we took over the place because we had to move the driveway. In the beginning, I had no idea what happens in a garden, but I’ve gradually started to understand seasons, so the flower beds don’t suddenly go empty when the weather changes.”
The garden is Egelund’s hobby and oasis. “I grew up in the country, and I have always known that I wanted a garden,” she says. “I am fond of wilderness and outdoor life, and this is reflected in our yard. It follows the seasons and looks natural. No cement-lined flower beds for me!”
Who gardens here: Maja Egelund, 40; her husband; their daughter, Karla, 11; and the family dog, Teddy
Location: Højbjerg, central Denmark
Size: About 6,450 square feet (600 square meters)
“We’ve had the garden for six years,” says Egelund, pictured with Karla. “We completely changed it when we took over the place because we had to move the driveway. In the beginning, I had no idea what happens in a garden, but I’ve gradually started to understand seasons, so the flower beds don’t suddenly go empty when the weather changes.”
The garden is Egelund’s hobby and oasis. “I grew up in the country, and I have always known that I wanted a garden,” she says. “I am fond of wilderness and outdoor life, and this is reflected in our yard. It follows the seasons and looks natural. No cement-lined flower beds for me!”
Here is the plan of Egelund’s garden. The top row, from left, shows the greenhouse, yard and house. Pictured in the next row are a tree, the house, the terrace and the grapevine (labeled vin). Flowers for screening are in the rectangles below the house. To their right are scallions, summer flowers and perennials (in the big circle) and another tree. The rectangles at the bottom represent raised beds with fruit bushes, vegetables and flowers.
The garden features a beautiful medley of flowers, vegetables, berries and other fruits. Egelund grouped the many perennials by color and height. “I’m inspired by the English cottage garden style, which has a wild kind of beauty,” she says.
She is in the garden every day planning the next steps, and it is constantly evolving. It has gradually been divided into different zones, making it easier to plan and review the results.
This photo shows Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis) interspersed with meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebruneanum). There is also a bed of sage (Salvia), geranium, boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and many other plants. Geranium, catnip (Nepeta cataria), masterwort (Astrantia), peony, coneflower (Rudbeckia), common lady’s mantle and plantain lily (Hosta) bloom the longest.
“If there are gaps between the perennials, I fill them with annual summer flowers,” Egelund says.
She is in the garden every day planning the next steps, and it is constantly evolving. It has gradually been divided into different zones, making it easier to plan and review the results.
This photo shows Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis) interspersed with meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebruneanum). There is also a bed of sage (Salvia), geranium, boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and many other plants. Geranium, catnip (Nepeta cataria), masterwort (Astrantia), peony, coneflower (Rudbeckia), common lady’s mantle and plantain lily (Hosta) bloom the longest.
“If there are gaps between the perennials, I fill them with annual summer flowers,” Egelund says.
Yellow carrot flowers grow toward the end of the summer. Wild carrot does not grow large roots, but it does produce lots of flowers. They bud prolifically, which means that they can be picked over and over again.
Brass buttons (Leptinella) fill the gaps in the walkway. “They make beautiful green patterns, and thanks to them, I don’t have to pull out the weeds that would have grown there otherwise,” Egelund says.
She got some of her plants from a neighbor. “We have a nice neighborhood. Neighbors of all ages visit each other and share their experiences. None of us are qualified experts — we are just trying things out,” she says.
Egelund says it’s important to remember that nothing is right or wrong when it comes to gardens. “Being inspired by others is a pleasure, but it should not be a fight. Grow what you want at your own pace.”
She got some of her plants from a neighbor. “We have a nice neighborhood. Neighbors of all ages visit each other and share their experiences. None of us are qualified experts — we are just trying things out,” she says.
Egelund says it’s important to remember that nothing is right or wrong when it comes to gardens. “Being inspired by others is a pleasure, but it should not be a fight. Grow what you want at your own pace.”
Egelund grows tomatoes, flowers and her favorite herbs — cilantro, Thai basil and dill — in a small greenhouse. “I buy seeds for lots of plants and grow them in the garden and the greenhouse. As a rule, I include some of the old Danish plants [like dill], which are extraordinary,” she says.
Everything that Egelund grows is organic. “There is no need to contaminate the soil with all sorts of poisons and pesticides,” she says. “When there are Spanish slugs or weeds, I have two choices: Remove them or accept them. I remove the slugs by hand and just allow some of the [Aegopodium podagraria] to stay. It is about finding a level of gardening that you enjoy. Having a garden should not be stressful.”
Everything that Egelund grows is organic. “There is no need to contaminate the soil with all sorts of poisons and pesticides,” she says. “When there are Spanish slugs or weeds, I have two choices: Remove them or accept them. I remove the slugs by hand and just allow some of the [Aegopodium podagraria] to stay. It is about finding a level of gardening that you enjoy. Having a garden should not be stressful.”
“I always grow too much, so I share [vegetables from the greenhouse] with my neighbors and acquaintances,” Egelund says.
Large pots on the patio contain seasonal varieties: dahlias, sages and grasses. Egelund makes a lot of bouquets with the flowers and foliage from these plants.
“The big umbels from the crown dill are a hit in bouquets,” she says.
Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), coneflower, common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), peony, masterwort (Astrantia) and limelight hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’) grow in a round flower bed in the middle of the lawn. They have been in the soil since last year and bloom in spring along with bulbous plants.
“I love flowers. I’m so fond of looking at them, both in the garden and anywhere else,” she says.
“I love flowers. I’m so fond of looking at them, both in the garden and anywhere else,” she says.
Pincushion flower (Scabiosa caucasica) is one of Egelund’s favorites. It is spreading nicely in the garden and works well in bouquets.
“Many of the flowers in the garden blossom spontaneously. I can usually distinguish between weeds and flowers, so thankfully I don’t accidentally pull the flowers out,” she says.
The clay soil is nutritious, so Egelund usually has good luck with new plants.
“Many of the flowers in the garden blossom spontaneously. I can usually distinguish between weeds and flowers, so thankfully I don’t accidentally pull the flowers out,” she says.
The clay soil is nutritious, so Egelund usually has good luck with new plants.
Egelund’s daughter, Karla, has her own flower bed, in which she planted lots of cosmos and daisies.
Cosmos are easy to cultivate and come in a variety of colors.
Cosmos are easy to cultivate and come in a variety of colors.
Carrots grown in a pair of raised beds feed the family for a couple of weeks. Flowers, vegetables, rhubarb and other plants grow well in seven raised beds fed with garden soil and compost. Once she has harvested the carrots, Egelund sows a cover crop of red clover, which returns nutrients to the soil.
This garden was once part of an apple orchard belonging to the nearby Marselisborg Palace, and this apple tree dates back to that time. It does not produce much fruit anymore, but it is a beautiful feature.
This grapevine (Vitis) is a sturdy variety that can survive out in the open. “The grapes taste good, and our dog and the blackbirds around here will vouch for that. It’s all right — we’re happy to share with them,” Egelund says.
She prunes some of the grape leaves so that the fruit can get more sunshine and ripen well. The vine climbs up a drainage pipe and continues toward the garage. It grows vigoriously, but it is easy to tame again when it spreads too much.
She prunes some of the grape leaves so that the fruit can get more sunshine and ripen well. The vine climbs up a drainage pipe and continues toward the garage. It grows vigoriously, but it is easy to tame again when it spreads too much.
Egelund dries flowers from the garden and uses them for decoration and bouquets. A single branch in a tall vase works wonders at times of the year when there is nothing to pick in the garden.
Dried blooms from, clockwise from top left, wild carrot, marigold (Calendula), pincushion flower and poppy (Papaver) lie on an old French dish found at a market.
Egelund says that drying flowers is simple: Just hang the flowers upside down in the shade in a covered area.
Dried blooms from, clockwise from top left, wild carrot, marigold (Calendula), pincushion flower and poppy (Papaver) lie on an old French dish found at a market.
Egelund says that drying flowers is simple: Just hang the flowers upside down in the shade in a covered area.
Egelund is also interested in garden decor. She believes that a garden is a wonderful place to create ambiance with plants and flea market items.
Here is a bouquet of cosmos, pincushion flower and crown dill from the garden. The vase and wicker furniture came from flea markets.
“I’m always looking, both for plants outdoors and items at flea markets,” Egelund says.
“I’m always looking, both for plants outdoors and items at flea markets,” Egelund says.
On the north-facing wall hang a pair of old fruit boxes and a drying box whose contents change from time to time. Egelund usually fills them with garlic in winter and something a little more colorful in summer.
Egelund also dries many of the seeds from the garden and saves them for the next season. In the round box lie fava beans (Vicia faba) waiting to be put into the ground, and the small seedpods on the dish are kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica). There is a species of Allium in the bottle.
Egelund is the mastermind behind the garden, but her husband mows the lawn and will have a bigger role to play when Egelund’s next garden project — a spacious garden tool shed with a living roof — gets underway.
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Egelund is the mastermind behind the garden, but her husband mows the lawn and will have a bigger role to play when Egelund’s next garden project — a spacious garden tool shed with a living roof — gets underway.
More
Read about other inspiring gardens
Find a landscape design professional
Browse gardening products
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Moltes felicitats per un jardí i hort tan bonic.
What a beautiful garden! Such a lovely way to care deeply for a garden and everything that is so special about it x