Garden Visit: An Enchanted Summer House in the German Countryside

Old rose vines climb the facade. Bucolic pastureland surrounds a secluded half-acre of land. And “the only visible neighbor is the church across the street with its beautiful old church tower which can be seen from the house like a painting.”

Does this sound like the start of a fairytale about an enchanted house? The description, from European real estate site Fantastic Frank, is enough to convince us to keep reading. Let’s take a tour of the gardens of this 60-year-old country house in Germany “on the edge of the beautiful village of Hof Eich, not far from Gelnhausen,” but no more than a 40-minute’s drive from the Frankfurt airport.”  (And if we like it? It’s for sale: €780,000.)

Photography by Magnus Persson courtesy of Fantastic Frank.

Above: Built in 1956, the sprawling, 10-room country house is on a sunny plot and its stucco facade is shrouded in mature rose vines.

Both front and back entrances are surrounded by climbing roses. See more inspiration in Everything You Need to Know About Roses.

Above: Mismatched stone pavers set in a cement base add a rustic air to an entrance.

Above: A red climbing rose against white stucco creates a theatrical entrance.

Above: The house overlooks bucolic pastureland.

Above: Touches of red don’t have to compete against other colors in the flower beds.

Above: A tiled swimming pool and a raised deck are sited on the side of the house to avoid disrupting views of the countryside.

Above: A neutral color palette in the interiors also creates a backdrop for strong color.

Above: In the distance, horses and a riding stable.

Above: From the house, it’s a short walk to the riding stables.

Above: Vines soften the stucco facade of the garage.

See more of our favorite Garden Design 101 ideas from Germany:

• 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Germany
• A Wild Beautiful Mess: Anne Schwalbe’s Garden in Rural Germany
• Garden Visit: At Home with Katrin Scharl in Brandenburg, Germany