Sichtungsgarten Weihenstephan

The Sichtungsgarten Weihenstephan (German pronunciation: [ˈzɪçtʊŋsɡaʁ.tən]; lit. 'Viewing Garden' or 'Sighting Garden') is a teaching and trial garden maintained by the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Science in Freising, Germany. It is, according to the English horticulturist Noel Kingsbury, the leading research and teaching garden in Europe. The institution is funded by the state of Bavaria along with four other gardens, known together as the Weihenstephan Gardens, and covers an area of over 5 hectares (12 acres). The Sichtungsgarten Weihenstephan was founded in 1947 under the leadership of horticulturist Richard Hansen. It is used for testing the suitability of plants for cultivation in gardens and urban green spaces as well as their mutual compatibility and planting design possibilities. Although shrubs and in particular garden roses are also tested, the focus of the Sichtungsgarten is on the trialling of herbaceous perennials, which are arranged into long beds. It also contains a large rock garden, a pond, a pool, and shaded areas. The garden displays contrasting and harmonious color schemes as well as monochromatic herbaceous borders, but is chiefly notable for researching and exhibiting Hansen's philosophy of designed plant communities, which calls for matching plants with those from the same habitat type. Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant compositions, featuring plants such as ornamental grasses, daisies, catmint, sages, and spurges, are particularly emphasized, but the garden also maintains a large collection of traditional garden plants such as lilies and peonies.