A Year In the Park
About the Park
If you lean up against a tree and look out into the distance, it will seem as if you are holding nature in the palm of your hand. You, however, will remain unobserved. On the horizon are bright crop fields as far as the eye can see, and behind you is a shadowy forest. Games of light and dark – this is Mcely. This is the Chateau Mcely park.
The park surrounding Chateau Mcely was created through gradual refinement over many generations. An oak grove was born in front of the northern face of the chateau through the natural selection of the strongest plants and, over time, it has become the foundation and an icon in today’s park – its characteristic celebratory arrival Oak Tree Alley.
During the past several hundred years, young generations of aristocratic families have resided at the chateau and have raised their children here. That is why at this location, aristocratic history has melded with the practical. Tennis courts, a children’s cottage, fruit trees, a fountain, a greenhouse and a storage cave – this is just a small list of things that the Thurn–Taxis family did to make accommodation at the chateau more comfortable.
The chateau and park were neglected for more then sixty years. With arrival of the current owners, the requirements and demands of the park, as the ambiance for this elegant chateau hotel with modern day services, have changed. The entire area of park is covered by wi-fi signal, criss-crossed by cabels, pipes of all sorts, and an irrigation system. A layout of natural green walking paths was created in addition to an asphalt circuit around the park to service individual attractions by an electric vehicle. The park cascades down from the chateau on steep hilly terrain. This made it a particular challenge to create various stations throughout the park in a manner that still provided effective and safe drainage of rain water. Individual terraces were statically stabilized to hold the sculpted shape when the weather is not favorable. Over a period of three years, the park was cleaned, and unsafe trees cut and removed.
Original precious trees and hstorical undergrowth were saved and now they have an opportunity to blossom properly in a clean and sunny park. For several years to come, there will be additional planting in the chateau park, including donations from enlightened guests, to prepare the park for future generations of visitors to Chateau Mcely. In a similar way, we now enjoy fruits of the creative work of Chateau Mcely garden architects of past generations.
Oak Tree Alley
Since time immemorial, winter oak trees have grown on the high promontory above the village on the parched and dry rise. These trees are extremely weather resistant and time-tested. They maintain the integrity of the slope, provide shade, create an intangible positive energy, and allow life to exist at this location. Today, a magical path winds through these oak trees, and thus is known as Oak Tree Alley.
Red Leaf Beech Trees
During the course of the 19th century, the red-leaf beech tree became one of the most popular trees in the parks of noblemen, as well as in the cities. Therefore, we had to make sure that we included them here at Chateau Mcely when we were reconstructing our park. In the 18th century, the Chateau Mcely gardeners planted this group of trees directly at the main entrance way, where they still stand today.
Caucasus Oak
The park’s most valuable gem is the beautiful solitaire of the wide-branched crown of this exotic type of oak-tree. It originated in Caucasus, and it is also notable that this oak did not grow from an acorn, but the gardeners of generations gone by grafted it on to a domestic oak-tree. There is evidence of this from a scar around the entire perimeter of the trunk showing the place where the trees grew together. This majestic tree is a heritage species and protected by the state.
Western Red Cedar
It has never been easy to plant something in the dense clay of the local area. We can thus consider it a small miracle that we were able to grow several North American coniferous trees which have now reached a respectable height. They are one of the few evergreens species in the park and stay beautifully green even in winter; this ensures that they are not to be missed year round.
A View From Under the Plane Tree
One of the true icons of the park is the lonely solitary plane tree that dominates the main view into the region. It is apparent from its constitution that it has experienced many adventures. Even today, it does not look its age. In fact, it looks exactly the same as people have always known it.
European Ash
It has always been a part of the park, and yet it was not always wanted. Even today, gardeners struggle with its seedlings just the way they did in decades gone by. During the war, the last master gardener, Josef Zumr planted primroses as a most beautiful spread under the ash tree. They continue to grow here to this very day.
Picnic In the Park
These unique spots have been chosen by the garden architect especially for your outdoor dining pleasure. Your delicacies will taste especially delicious as you soak in the wonders of the Bohemian landscape and the energy of the chateau park.
