Norrviken's gardens is one of the most popular excursion destinations on the Bjäre Peninsula today. For over a hundred years, the gardens have existed, and can also be found most often on lists of Sweden's most beautiful gardens. Many generations of summer residents and year-round residents in Båstad have fond memories of coffee time in the sun, wedding celebrations and exciting trails to discover. But the journey to what you see today has been bumpy at times. Some milestones in the history of Norrviken Gardens through different ownerships and periods:
From Kolmården to Båstad
Rudolf Abelin, who founded Norrviken's gardens, built a facility at the end of the 1800th century in the forest areas around Kolmården's southern slope just north of Norrköping. The name became Norrviken, which is also the name of the innermost part of Bråviken. However, he was forced to abandon this facility because the Nyköpingsbanan railway would run straight through the garden. Abelin was looking for a new place to realize his garden visions. He found the place west of Båstad. Beginning in 1906, Abelin first built a residence for the family, Villa Abelin.
Open to visitors
On May 15, 1920, Abelin opened up his garden to visitors for the first time. He continued with great drive to plant various style gardens as well as a huge orchard until his death in 1961. His stated ambition was to reflect the world on his farm. The Baroque Garden, the Water Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Renaissance Garden and the North German Plantation, the Oriental Terrace and the Romantic Garden all have their own personal character.
Bankruptcy application
From 1986, Norrviken's Gardens was run as a limited company with the Norrviken's Gardens Foundation as guarantor that the facility was maintained and developed in Abelin's spirit. On January 1, 2013, the board of the foundation decided to file for bankruptcy. This happened after difficulties in finding tenants or other financing.
Restoration
In 2013, five gentlemen with Båstad connections bought the facility with the aim of developing and strengthening Bjäre's cultural heritage. They thereby took on extensive work to recreate, restore and develop a facility that had been neglected for decades.
Forward
Since 2018, the Erik Paulsson family owns 100% of Norrviken. The business is in a separate company called Norrviken Utveckling.
