Flor og Fjære

Flog og Fjære is a collection of man-made tropical gardens on the island of Sør-Hidle outside of Stavanger, Norway. The gardens and restaurant became open to the public in 1995, hosting two tours per day during their season from the beginning of May until the end of September. In 2013, Flog og Fjære hosted close to 35,000 guests during this five month season.[1] The island has hosted many business retreats and events such as the Norwegian Chess Tournament in 2015.[2] The island has also been visited by all three Nordic Royal Houses.[3]

Stairs in the gardens

History

In 1965, the founders, Æsmund and Else Marie Bryn, bought a farmstead on the northern tip of the island and by 1995 had opened the island up to the public for garden tours along with a restaurant.[4] Æsmund moved to the island due to poor health conditions and as his health improved, he started the garden. Æsmund planted pine trees around the property line of the garden to protect his plants from the wind common to the fjords in this region.[4]

Winding path in the rose garden

Present

Today, the island functions as a popular tourist site, complete with a garden tour and lunch/dinner in the on-island restaurant.[5] The island is currently run by Æsmund's son, Olav Bryn, who plants and redesigns the garden every year. He continually tests new plants to see if they will adapt to the northern climate. Bryn also tests different arrangements.[4] Gardens on the island range from roses to cacti and each garden contains exotic plants from all over the world.[6] After touring the gardens, guests eat at the restaurant on the island with a rotating buffet prepared by their chef, Andre Mulder.[7]

Flog og Fjære is open to the public Monday through Saturday during their season starting at the beginning of May until the end of September. Tours are offered twice per day, one at lunch and one at dinner.[8]

Tropical Koi Pond

Future

In the coming years, management of the gardens hope to extend their property line on the island in order to start a farm that would be used to stock their on-island restaurant. Management believes this would increase tourism to the area.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Rødne + Flor & Fjære = Sant". Boarding.no. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Happy landing for MVL in Norway Chess blitz as Magnus Carlsen falters". Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  3. 1 2 "Flor og Fjære vil utvide - fikk nei". Aftenbladet.no. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  4. 1 2 3 "» Our history Flor & Fjære". Florogfjare.no. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  5. ↑ "Visit a tropical island in Stavanger - Meetings and conferences in Norway - visitnorway.com". Visit Norway. https://plus.google.com/u/0/101818796033090589363. Retrieved 2015-10-30. External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. ↑ "From There to Here: Flor og Fjære - A Beautiful Island Garden". Fromtheretoheretheblog.com. 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  7. ↑ "» The Restaurant Flor & Fjære". Florogfjare.no. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  8. ↑ "» About Flor & Fjære Flor & Fjære". Florogfjare.no. Retrieved 2015-10-27.

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