Engelszeller Sinnesgarten

This garden combines four current themes: Herbs as a gourmet and healing ingredient, the garden as a place for meditation, the therapy garden as a place of rootedness and the garden with its plant variety and regionality.

1. Station: Old wine types
The planted grapevines come all from this region, especially from Sigharting, Schardenberg, Pyrawang and Engelhartszell/Oberranna. The uniqueness of these grapevines is that they are old European types whose names however are forgotten.
 
2. Station: Herb garden
Herbs found their way through monasteries into the regional garden culture. This herb garden also shows many herbs that are used in the popular liquor “Engelszeller Klosterlikör”. Of course, recipes are not revealed. After baroque example the garden is divided into five areas which stand for different body functions: stomach/intestines, heart/skin, nerves/life energy – women/birth and the head as the central part. The effects of the herbs are described on an information panel.

3. Station: Meditation garden with labyrinth
In a quiet part of the castell’s meadow is the meditation garden located. Here the special landscape potential with the view to the Danube river and the colourful slope forests of the nature reserve “Donauleiten” is amplified. The labyrinth is a classic labyrinth with seven circuits. This old labyrinth type comes from a Cretan primeval form and incorporates Christian symbols. The cross shape forms the centre of the labyrinth and combines the idea of connectivity of nature and inner reflection with Christian values.
The labyrinth symbolizes the search of human beings after themselves and an individual living form. After many turns through colonnades from river stones you reach the centre of the labyrinth and then you can find your way outwards again. It is a symbol and an exercise of internalisation, peace and cosmopolitanism. 

4. Station: Old fruit trees
The exhibition garden of old fruit tree types follows to the west and shows in particular local and ancient types of fruit. A selection: different apples, pears, plums and cherries. Looking, smelling and learning is the motto in this part of the garden.

5. Station: Water sensory path
This “Kneipp” stream is integrated into the area of the mini Danube “Mini-Donau”. The small river stream encompasses different types of stone and you can go barefoot through it.
 
6. Station: Garden of confused senses
This part of the garden is designed specifically for the residents of the local Caritas facility "invita" and thus, is not open to the public. As a therapy garden it is created according to the needs of the residents.