Filseck Castle Outdoor facilities

Workshop 14.04.2015 "Castle Park - Green Classroom, Flora and Fauna, Playground".

Ideas were introduced and discussed during the workshop on 14.04.15:

The Green Classroom in the Castle Park is not only an extracurricular place of learning but the entire landscape park offers an ideal nature observation and experience space for all population groups and ages.

Only what one knows can also be appreciated. Thus, nature observation is possible in the deadwood garden with habitat for many species of beetles, an insect hotel and for fruit varieties in the pomology. Bee stands and diverse flowering shrubs demonstrate the importance of pollination and honey production. Wild perennials, herbs and historical cultivated plants can observe and get to know everyone signposted in the kitchen garden.

The aim is to perceive nature with all the senses, for this purpose the existing greenery and trees were dealt with particularly sensitively in the planning and construction phase. In addition to the aspects relevant to nature conservation, the cultural-historical starting conditions and garden monument conservation aspects were also the basis for the planning of the outdoor facilities at the castle.

The following ideas for the green classroom were introduced and discussed during the workshop:

1.Events and supervision of the green classroom

-Educational events for children and adults, for example in the area of fruit tree pruning
-Holiday offers for families with children
-Learning about nature - wild herbs, shrubs, cultivated plants, trees and wild animals
-Equipment for schools and kindergartens with, for example, magnifying glasses and identification cards

2.Information

-Information stand for bees

-Information concepts for schools

3.Questions and content for the planners and management of the Foundation

-Who will take care of the Green Classroom? Will a person be hired year-round to do this? Aw: This is being considered in the overall context, but is not the responsibility of the Foundation.
-Will there be a meadow/open space for historical games to form a link between history and nature? Aw: That is possible.
-Is the Green Classroom also usable simply as a seating area for groups to have a place to come together? Aw: That is possible.
-Provided nesting aids have already been ordered and are useful in coordination with the Nature Conservancy.
-How will transportation of people to the Green Classroom work? Aw: In clarification, bus access and parking will be problem-free in the future.
-Can guided walking days be offered in summer? Aw: In principle, yes.

4.Following ideas - Learning site | Nature and culture | Flora and fauna

-Experimenta Heilbronn as a model for the use of the Green Classroom
-Biological experiments
-Offer complete teaching concepts for schools
-Marketing of the fruit of Filseck Castle.

Workshop 11.07.2013 "Perspective further development of the building Schloss Filseck".

Ideas for the design planning were introduced and discussed during the workshop on July 11, 2013:

The task of this work sequence was to generate ideas for the perspective further development of the utilization concepts. The participants work in small groups on three main topics:

-Marketing of the event rooms

-Exterior area

-Exhibition rooms / space concept

Each group was given several guiding questions to discuss or visualize.


In the topic area of outdoor facilities, the following questions were discussed:

1. How can the parking situation be better designed?
2. What alternative is there to the delivery through the courtyard?
3. What expansion options are conceivable for the gastronomic area beer garden?
4. lateral thinking: what would you like to realize in the outdoor area, if money would not play a role?

-Parking:
Establishment of about 140 parking spaces for daytime operations and another 200 gravelled parking spaces for events south of the castle. Parking spaces directly adjacent to the Castle will be maintained for people with disabilities as well as Castle staff.

-Delivery:
The delivery area will be located on the west side of the building. In addition, there will be a tool shed or similar for technical equipment (snow removal equipment, lawn mowers, etc.).

-Beer Garden/Chestnut Courtyard:
The beer garden is to be located on the east side of the castle with approximately 300 seats.

-Cross-thought
- Create retreat for guests who do not want to sit ln the beer garden, but still want to drink something.
- Give up parking at the castle altogether and expand the castle garden on the east side
- Room in the green for wedding ceremonies
- Sculpture garden in the castle garden.

Attention Inhabited - Nature Conservation in Filseck Castle Park

Tree renovation and tree felling measure in February 2014 in the castle park and the fruit tree meadow at the castle Filseck.

The work was supervised by Mrs Leitz (office knoll.neues.gruen) and the graduate biologist Mr Erwin Rennwald. All trees suspected of having tree cavities were examined before trees were approved for felling.

All information was also followed up via Mr. Gunnar Herbert (Environmental Protection and Green Order Department), specifically on a chestnut tree that has been inhabited by a tawny owl or tawny owl pair for approx. 30 years.
In order to continue to ensure traffic safety, only a 60r crown protection cut was carried out. In deadwood trees, a further roost of the tawny owl was determined during a detailed investigation by means of a cherry picker and the tree section was secured.

From suitable trunk sections, deadwood piles were then piled up, they provide important habitat for endangered species such as many beetles, insects and forest bird species.
Furthermore, three bat boxes were hung in three lime trees in the western castle garden area.

Ground penetrating radar - images of the hidden

During the monument protection-legal permission procedure deeper soil layers had to be examined around damages of the historical plants to avoid. In detail, the justified suspicious facts were examined with the RP by Dr. Rademacher, district archaeology in the areas:

- Inner courtyard
In the last renovation of the castle, the old castle walls were partially exposed and recorded, these also run within the courtyard according to a plan document of Dr. Rademacher.

- Planned parking in the south
Suspicious facts in the southern area are expected, such as buildings that belonged as an outwork to a castle e.g. stables and forge.

- Fill to the west
Fire debris from the castle was filled here in the 1970s, finds are expected here on removal.

- Existing car park to the south-east
The visible embankment is the last trace of the former moat, it was probably filled in when the Renaissance castle was built as there was no longer any use for it.

- Ditch west
The still visible ditch in the west belonged to the former castle ditch and is considered to be the only visible trace from the Staufer period. Dr. Rademacher does not see the need for action in this area; the condition should be preserved.

- Mr. Rademacher sees no need for action in the northern hillside property and the area around the pump house, partial soil cuts will be made here if needed.


Results of the investigations using ground penetrating radar:

The results of the investigation in the Castle Garden were able to demonstrate the path network as well as two circular structures using ground penetrating radar. The structures are shown on the historic map of the garden. The direct path connection between the two circles deviates from the historic map.

The historic structures and paths were taken into account in the overall planning, insofar as they are not damaged or changed by construction measures and the redevelopment planning adapts to the design of the historic path layout.

Edible and beautiful - signage in the kitchen garden

The office dealt more extensively with the perennial garden and pomology. Next to the castle grounds, newly planted kitchen and perennial gardens are reminiscent of the historic kitchen garden. Numerous regional herbs and perennials grow here. These represent the great diversity of regional, partly forgotten, herbs and useful plants. The herb and kitchen garden will literally become a kitchen garden for the restaurant at the castle. The pomology extends to the west of the perennial garden and is home to numerous fruit varieties. Several old fruit varieties (e.g.: Göppinger Musch, Börtlinger Weinapfel, Hauxapfel and others) have been added to the existing tree population in the pomology. A new path now runs through the fruit meadow.

Design of uniform signage

Signage should be created for the perennial and herb garden. A sample template which served as a basis was developed with the signs for the respective perennial areas (6 in total: Midsummer Bride, Rose Queen with Court, Prairie Wind, Tumbleweed Prince, Woodland Fairy, Farmers Garden, Herb Garden). For the herb signs there is an additional information field about the use in the kitchen. For this, content was researched and written with plant-specific, brief notes.

The signage guide of the teaching and experimental gardens, set up by the HfWU, Dr. Hüttenmoser, serves as inspiration and is the basis for determining the content. In between, discussions about sign size, content and font size kept coming up. It took time and several meetings until the final framework conditions were clarified. The goal was to make the font size as large as possible. This will make it easier for older and visually impaired visitors to read and, on the other hand, the perennial beds will not be too cluttered with large-format signs.

On the day of the installation, the contractor was also on site and did the pruning of the perennials, staked the bulbs for next year and planted shrubs. Dr. Hüttenmoser from the HfWU was also on site, as the person responsible for the planting concept for the perennial beds.
The signage for the perennial garden now enjoys a positive response from visitors and is readily accepted.

back to overview to the time shades

1. Workshop 14.04.2015 "Castle Park - Green Classroom, Flora and Fauna, Playground".
2. Workshop 11.07.2013 "Perspective further development of the building Schloss Filseck".
3. Attention Inhabited - Nature Conservation in Filseck Castle Park
4. Ground penetrating radar - images of the hidden
5. Edible and beautiful - signage in the kitchen garden