Tall treetops sway and rustle in the wind. The sloping ridge lets the majestic beech trees lean out over the sprawling estate. The Kattegatt's blue water creates a beautiful contrast to the intensely green landscape that spreads across 14 hectares. Norrviken Gardens, just outside Båstad, awakens a childlike sense of discovery in me.
The winding Italian road along the slope curls above the grounds, while the park itself feels like a little world of its own. My mother, perhaps drawn to the Mediterranean-inspired gardens of her youth, took every chance to bring us here during our summers in Båstad. I remember the colours, the scents and how the flowers greeted you around every corner. But the greenery almost had to give way to my personal favourite — the trickling water that felt almost magical as it cascaded down from the white chapel high above the greenery.
Screeching peacocks interrupt my nostalgic journey through time, aware of our presence but unwilling to pose for the camera. Instead I'm captivated by another kind of beauty — the dense, soft grass kept perfect by robot mowers. I let the blades slide between my fingers and feel both admiration and a touch of envy, comparing it to my own lawn back home. Ah well, I think, as the elegant Villa Abelin — named after its founder Rudolf Abelin — comes into view. After all, they've had over 100 years to get it perfect.
Author: One Planet Journey
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