Kittenberger Adventure Gardens

The Kittenberger Erlebnisgärten began as a nursery demonstration area at Schiltern in the Kamptal and grew into a show garden of around sixty themed sections over some six hectares - a Mediterranean garden, a Japanese one, a bamboo grove, cottage borders, an African section, water gardens, a treetop walkway and a play area, laid out so that visitors move from one to another as a sequence. It is a commercial garden centre attached to a visitor attraction rather than a botanical collection, and it is honest about that; the plants are chosen partly to show what will grow in an Austrian garden and can be bought at the nursery. Rare farm animals are kept. It is one of the more popular family destinations in Lower Austria and is at its best from late spring into early autumn.

What you actually see

• Around sixty themed gardens - Mediterranean, Japanese, cottage, African and water sections.
• A treetop walkway - running above part of the grounds.
• A nursery attached - plants shown growing and sold at the gate.
• Rare farm breeds - animals kept through the gardens.

When to go

April to October; May to July for peak planting. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Closed for the winter. It is a commercial attraction with a shop at the end, not a botanical institution. Weekends and school holidays are crowded with families.

Nearby

Langenlois and the Loisium are close; Krems and the Wachau are south.