Spring has arrived in Southwest Germany, and a garden-focused tour is one of the best ways to celebrate the season. The Schlosscard Plus (Castle Card Plus) grants access to 24 historic sites and four special Year of the Garden events. Priced at about $40, the card can be purchased at participating gardens, palaces and monasteries.
Highlights include the Renaissance ruins of Heidelberg Palace, where visitors can try lawn games once enjoyed by royalty and join a themed “Through the Garden with the Herb Witch” tour. These experiences combine hands-on activities with historical gardening knowledge, showing how a thriving garden was once vital to daily life.
At Salem Monastery and Castle on Lake Constance, more than 1,000 fruit trees planted in 1777 shape the orchards, and the site offers special programs such as Water – Fountains – Gardens tours. The Zirkelgebäude presents an exhibition of original texts, garden designs and plans, including the original layout for a French baroque garden.
Other notable gardens and estates included with the Schlosscard Plus are Schwetzingen Palace and Palace Gardens, Ludwigsburg Residential Palace, Weikersheim Palace and Gardens, the World Cultural Heritage site Maulbronn Monastery, and the Hohentwiel Fortress Ruins. Each site presents a mix of historic landscaping, architectural interest and seasonal programming, making the region a rich destination for garden lovers and history enthusiasts alike.