Ludwig Eberling

Ludwig Eberling (born March 11, 1823 in Büdingen , † 1898 on the Mainau ) was court gardener on the island of Mainau in Lake Constance . He is considered to be the creator of today's flower island .

Life

He was born as the son of gardeners Johann Conrad Eberling and Amalie Münch in the former town hall of Büdingen. He had three sisters and a brother. Like his father and grandfather, after whom he was named, Ludwig also learned the gardening trade. Presumably in the 1840s he went on a wandering journey. Eberling was married to Johanna Rosina Hofmann from Schweinfurt.

Mainau Island

In 1856 Eberling came to the Mainau as the successor to Chr. Schlichter . On behalf of Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden , he put his dreams and plans into practice as a court gardener. Friedrich bought the island from Countess Luise von Douglas in 1853 for 130,000  florins .

Allegedly Ludwig Eberling wanted to turn back when he set foot on the island for the first time in 1856 and saw it in a sorry state. The obliteration of the gardens during the last years of the German Order - Commandery and multiple change of ownership in the second quarter of the 19th century was very far advanced. The island, once planted with flower beds and herb gardens, was little more than a potato and thistle field.

The following quote comes from the book "Mainau - Chronicle of a Paradise":

"Court gardener Eberlings 42 years"

“A seldom familiar relationship developed between the prince and himself very quickly, probably based on the person and the shared love of nature and garden art. In the period that followed, many things changed under the energetic, energetic man who was also thoroughly aware of his worth. The support of the Grand Duke and the trust in his own energy helped him to be able to resist the tutelage of the Karlsruhe authorities. According to his notes, the most insignificant things like the purchase of a flower sprayer had to be approved there after prior application and thorough assessment. The collaboration between the two men, who are enthusiastic about the plant world, created what the Grand Duke called 'my paradise'. With a sure eye he determined the trees to be purchased and bought orange trees in Italy, rare roses in Malmaison , palm trees in Nice and much more in other places, so that everything was sent to Mainau with handwritten instructions. Swiss, Italian, French, Alsatian, Dutch and German tree nurseries did their best. (...)

The Karlsruhe court gardening company received instructions to send the plants selected by him from there to his favorite spot - not always to the delight of the jealous residential gardeners. The Mainau slowly developed into a park landscape in which the arboretical part predominated in accordance with the dendrological interests of the Grand Duke. Vegetable gardens and potato fields disappeared, vineyards were removed; there now conifers, rare trees and bushes flourished. On the sunny south side, the Italian rose garden with arcades and pergolas was created in loving detail , incorporated into the privacy of the ducal family and to the delight of their numerous guests. "

In 42 years Eberling laid the foundation stone for the current appearance of Mainau Island. Ludwig Eberling died in the gardener's tower in Mainau in 1898. Victor Nohl was his successor as court gardener.

Awards

• 1890 King Carol of Romania awards Ludwig Eberling the "Great Merit Medal" of his country
• 1896 Appointment as garden inspector for the island of Mainau by Grand Duke Ludwig
• As early as 1891, his achievements were recognized in the gardening magazine "Möllers Garten-Zeitung".

literature

• Dées de Sterio, Alexander and Johanna: The Mainau. Chronicle of a paradise. Belser, Stuttgart 1977