It's always the season in Grugapark. Here, the garden season begins as early as February or March, when the rocks in the Alpine Garden shimmer like a fairy tale during the evening "Parkleuchten" and light art can be discovered in every second treetop. Later, when spring arrives in the park, "Essen's most beautiful garden" is also full of color during the day.
The large botanical garden is the heart of the Grugapark: from ancient bonsai to large cacti, from tropical trees to the "Indian summer" - exotic surprises can be found everywhere in the forest valley. New discoveries are on an equal footing with flagships of western garden design such as a Westphalian cottage garden, lovely rose varieties or a rhododendron grove.
After the first and eponymous "Great Ruhrland Garden Show" in 1929, or Gruga for short, there have been several other large garden shows on the site over the years, including the 1965 Federal Garden Show, for which the park was once again greatly expanded. Its current shape is equally characterized by the gently rolling lawns, hills and wide views, which are in particular the result of the concepts of a more experience- and leisure-oriented park design implemented for the 1965 Federal Garden Show.
Many leisure activities
It is precisely this contrast of different garden ideas that makes the Gruga so diverse in its leisure activities. Bird lovers can take a stroll through the large free-flight bird enclosure with the sicklers and flamingos, art lovers can discover over 40 sculptures among the greenery and sports enthusiasts can meet up for beach volleyball, table tennis, badminton or a game of boules. And model-making fans? They can follow the driving tests with small truck tractors on the model truck course.
Health is also a major theme under the motto "local spa": brine water trickles down a large wall of thorns in a salt works and makes passers-by think of a climatic health resort.
Hundertwasser house in the park
The Hundertwasserhaus, which the famous painter and graphic artist designed himself shortly before his death, has become a major attraction, especially for art lovers. Park festivals, Sunday concerts, cabaret and rare plant markets provide further variety and a real festival atmosphere in the park.
The Grugapark is also a perfect excursion destination in the Ruhr region for families with children. Whether the little ones are shimmying through the rope course, romping through the maze or taking the park train to the small animal enclosure, there is always something in the Gruga to keep the children entertained in the fresh air.
So that people with special needs can also enjoy the park in the Rüttenscheid district, a 1.3-kilometre barrier-free circular path has been created, which leads past the rose garden, bamboo grove and a "garden of the senses", among other things.
