Guggerbachtal-Alpinum

The foundation in this section is our rich endemic Flora, which is to be seen alongside the easy walkable paths in the area of the Schatzalp.

Alongside is a wide range of alpine and other plants from diverse mountain ranges, of those we where able to cultivate succesfully in the geologically diverse area of the Guggerbachtal.

We have succeeded in establishing a planting that delights our visitors from early mountain spring to late autumn with its changing colours and shapes. The stream Guggerbach has carved a steep valley from the Strelasee to Davos Platz, which provides all necessary and desireable requirements for a diverse alpine garden.

The Guggerbachtal-Alpinum is divided into two large areas, a natural area and a more cultivated (intensive) area. In the more natural part of the garden we find the natural vegetation with many different biotope types. Divided into smaller and larger plantations. The plant collections are planted according to species and location. The intensively tended and planted areas are embedded in the local flora like a mosaic and are themed. In general, a broader collection of wild types is planted here. However, horticultural wild selection also played a role right from the start of the garden.
Along the stream (Guggerbach) a steep path leads upwards, from which various circular routes into the Guggerbach valley open up. On this patch, the plant collections can be conveniently viewed from many sides. The steep slope was intercepted with a crevice garden in which guests can support themselves with built-in handrails. Small seats and information boards invite you to linger, take photos and learn. Immediately after the entrance gate, the so-called Swiss flora begins on the left along the stream and accompanies the guest upwards. On the right side of the path, it begins with a grove of cranesbill-hostas (geranium-hosta), which finally turns into wet meadow slopes. Above all, primroses (Primula) grow here, but also Irises (Iris), Gentians (Gentiana), cotton grasses etc. in the drier area further up, various blue poppy (Meconopsis) species are planted.

From the middle of June new flowers can be discovered every day. Passing steppe-like plantings, in which a pumice garden with rare primroses (Primula), bluebells (Campanula), and saxifrages (Saxifraga) is embedded, we enter the center of the garden. Various plant collections, such as cinquefoils (Potentilla), Irises (Iris) and Bergenia, are planted alongside the path. Following the path to the left, we walk through the “Cabinet of Rarities”, in which we show plants from all mountains in the world. The individual small garden areas are signposted and tell the guest something about crevice gardens, the Caucasus, the Appalachian Mountains and Tibet. But if we keep to the right, up the hill, we pass through a tall perennial flora which surrounds the cabinet of rarities (centre) and continues upwards through the entire garden. In these areas we collect the poisonous monkshood (Aconitum), Delphiniums (Delphinium), Lilies (Lilium), Peonies (Paeonia), meadow rue (Thalictrum) and much more. Spring, summer and autumn gentians grow along the wayside. On the way to the upper part of the garden, the flora of the western USA is to be shown in the future. If we follow the path, it leads us past a small shrub garden, through the Seslerietum to an Edelweiss (Leontopodium) collection, to a butterfly garden. At the top of the waterfall, the Alpinum can be left.

But if you haven’t seen enough yet, simply stroll back along the strea to the main entrance in several laps surrounded by clouds of blue Butterflies