The European Garden Heritage Network - EGHN

About 150 parks and gardens in 8 countries

Today, in 2011, the European Garden Heritage Network or the EGHN partnership includes about 150 parks and gardens in eight European countries. Most of them are represented local or regional administrations (such as municipalities and ministries), associations and agencies responsible for heritage protection, tourism, economic development etc. However, also a lot of single parks and gardens are partners in the network. The history and the specific character of each single site, but also regional and European wide communalities and links are shown by joining them into one of the 12 regional routes and one of the four or (since May 2011) five European Themes.

The broad range of knowledge and of experiences made by all partners in managing and developing parks and gardens, in trying to make better use of their resources for sustainable regional and local development policies as well as comparable challenges and wishes, the readiness to talk about all this and to jointly work on improved concepts and measures, are the main strengths of EGHN and determine its objectives and activities. Colleagues and friends, including researchers, practitioners, politicians and garden lovers, add to the competences and contacts of EGHN.

Simple and transparent structures, reputable and informal terms of business and cooperation, and the management by the non-profit Schloss Dyck Foundation ensure the efficient use of the financial resources that mainly result from partnership fees, public funding, the management of projects and income generated by making use of the network’s assets. The EGHN Statutes (available on request), a Masterplan and annual financial and activity reports etc. mirror this. 

A look back – the commence of EGHN

In 2003, eleven partners from Germany, England and France joined to form the EGHN within the European INTERREG IIIB NorthWestEurope Programme. Thanks to a new call this official partnership was increased by five partners from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK in 2006.

Until the end of 2008 these partners jointly worked on policies and measures to improve the framework, conditions and support for management and enhancement of parks and gardens. Activities were taken to improve the way they market their park and garden landscapes and to inspire greater interest in them. In close consultation with each other, they have introduced innovative measures and projects, signalling their intention to change the way we think about parks and gardens and the part they can play in the sustainable development of their regions.

The European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN) would not been possible without the financial support given by the European programme INTERREG IIIB NWE and not without the commitment of its initiators (partners, anchor gardens, supporters, friends) as such.

In 2009, the official partners of the INTERREG project decided to continue the European Garden Heritage Network EGHN as a European partnership, to open it for additional partners and to initiate new projects and activities. The management function of EGHN has been taken by the Schloss Dyck Foundation, Centre for Garden Art and Landscape Design (Germany), which has already been the lead partner of the INTERREG project.