Pomeranzen garden

The Pomeranzen garden is a Renaissance garden in Leonberg featuring bitter orange trees arranged in geometric patterns alongside decorative plants and hedges. The layout displays typical baroque garden design with symmetrical pathways and raised beds that showcase the potted citrus specimens.

The garden was founded in 1609 by Duke Friedrich I of Württemberg as a demonstration of his wealth and power. Over subsequent centuries, cultivation methods for the delicate bitter orange trees were refined and adapted to suit local conditions.

The garden shows how bitter orange trees were valued as signs of wealth and refined taste in this region. Today, visitors can observe the careful arrangement of these plants and understand their role in demonstrating status and knowledge of distant lands.

The garden is open from April through October for visitors to explore the layout and design at leisure. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the pathways are continuous throughout the space and the plantings vary in appearance depending on the season.

The bitter orange trees are cultivated in specially designed wooden containers that are transported between the garden and protected winter storage areas each season. This regular movement of plants was essential because the trees could not survive the cold winters and required careful handling throughout the year.