Voght’s vision lives on. The Westerpark in Hamburg is a testament to a time of enlightenment. It is a place where nature and agriculture intertwine.
The Westerpark started as the westernmost of four parks. These parks were part of Baron Caspar Voght’s estate. Voght named them after the cardinal directions. Westerpark is the only one that still has its original name.
Caspar Voght’s estate was an “Ornamented Farm”. This farm served as a hub for new ideas. These ideas spanned natural sciences and agriculture. Voght began creating agricultural areas in 1785. He designed them with artistic principles in mind. In 1795 Voght founded a tree nursery. It was for planting on his estate.
Later, Lorenz von Ehren used the land for their tree nursery for many years. In 1967, changes occurred to create usable areas. Uneven ground was filled. Parts of the historic tree population were cut down.
In 1991, the tree nursery moved. It relocated to southern Hamburg. This move allowed for restoration. The historic topographic features of the estate could be recovered. Parts were renatured like the Kleine Flottbek stream. This stream cuts through the area’s southwest edge.
As a reminder of the tree nursery, rows of woody plants were planted. They are arranged in a radial pattern on the northern slope meadows. Today, the extensive Westerpark serves as a local recreation area. There is also a dog exercise area.
In the south is the Quellental. It features a restaurant of the same name. The Wesselhoeftpark borders here. It follows the Kleine Flottbek stream.
The Westerpark is part of Caspar Voght’s “ornamented farm”. Voght wanted to combine beauty with utility. From 1785, he created diverse agricultural areas. He also made experimental areas based on garden design standards. Voght got the idea from the English “ornamented farm”. It was called “The Leasowes” by the poet William Shenstone.
The Klein Flottbek model estate is one of the most beautiful. It is also one of the best-preserved in Europe. Its size and largely preserved original substance make it special.
The Westerpark is just a small part of the entire estate. Over 200 years ago, it was outside Hamburg and Altona on Danish-Schleswig-Holstein territory. The areas were named after the cardinal directions. The Osterpark is now the “Großflottbeker Tennis-, Hockey- und Golf-Club e.V.”. The Süderpark is today’s Jenischpark. The Norderpark is now the Botanical Garden and “Hamburger Polo Club e.V.”.
Voght experimented with over 20 plant varieties. These included potatoes, beans, rapeseed, and Egyptian rye. He also tested many oat, barley, and wheat varieties. In 1795, he founded a tree nursery for planting his estate. It was the first in Northern Germany. He even hired the English landscape gardener James Booth. This laid the foundation for the largest contiguous tree nursery area in Europe.
About 100 years after the founding of the von Ehren tree nursery, changes happened. In 1967, the grounds of today’s Westerpark changed drastically. Lower-lying tree nursery areas were filled in. This created mostly level and dry areas for cultivation. Large parts of the historic tree population had to be felled.
In the 1990s, the company began moving its headquarters. It also moved the tree nursery quarters to southern Hamburg. The area was renatured. The gentle hills and valley incisions were exposed. These were originally formed by the Ice Age and the Kleine Flottbek. The riverbed was cleared. The Quellental and slope meadows were newly created. Many of the former 14 natural springs became active again. Rows of woody plants were planted on the northern slope meadow. They serve as a reminder of the tree nursery.
Today, the Westerpark invites visitors. It is perfect for walks, jogging, or relaxing on a bench. In the 90s, there was a chance to restore the historic features. It was a former agricultural model estate. During the Enlightenment, it was a key exchange center. This was for new findings in natural sciences and agriculture.