Winners - Third Prize

Village Green

The centuries-old village green of Unterretzbach reflects the typical dwelling traditions of Lower Austria’s Weinviertel region. The courtyard farmhouses of the wine-growing village face a communal green area. Until the mid-19th century, livestock grazed on the village common. As the Landbach creek supplied plenty of water, creating favorable conditions for growing vegetables and other crops, the shared pasture developed into a diverse garden landscape.

The villagers grew cabbages, potatoes, beans and fruit-bearing trees on small fields. After the Second World War, they used the village green for subsistence gardens. From the 1970s onwards, they created new gardens and connecting elements such as a lane lined with chestnut and birch trees.

Today, the garden landscape is a colorful tableau of vegetable gardens, flower gardens, landscaped gardens with trimmed boxwood hedges, clear structures and sweeping park-like areas. In recent years, active citizens of the community have launched efforts to promote the varied gardens, the local garden culture and the diversity of wild plants and crops. Subsistence gardening, preserving, grafting and enjoyment are key aspects of the initiative. Accordingly, individual gardens were restructured and replanted. Today, traditional fruit and vegetable species are once again grown. Fruit trees have been grafted with old sprigs. The emerging Garden of Crazy Proportions appeals to children and grown-ups alike. The Barefoot Garden features herbs from around the world.

Fotos: The Landbach creek flows across the village green of Unterretzbach. In the gardens, various traditional crop plants grow once again, next to flowers, perennials, shrubs and trees.