Cultivating Our Garden
Elisa Nadas

Before becoming an idyllic paradise, Brijuni was plagued by malaria, causing people to avoid the islands. After Kupelwieser’s intervention, the archipelago transformed from an infected place to a holiday destination, from a quarry with wild vegetation to an idyllic Mediterranean paradise. Kupelwieser reorganised the distribution of functions and the use of space on the islands, constructing his dream. With the help of Alojz Čufar, a forestry expert, the landscape of Veliki Brijuni was reshaped into a vast English-style park. The wilderness was organised, paths were drawn, trees were planted around lawns, and tropical gardens with Mediterranean flora were created. Seeds from all over the world were transported and planted, turning the island into a national garden in the Mediterranean.

The garden is by its definition a place that is enclosed, drawn and protected from the outside predators. It allows an encounter between Nature and Humans. It was first a place of production but it became cultural, it represents a vision of the world, what is best at this time. It is a place for utopia. So what is the utopia today for the Brijuni Archipelago?

Today, the new status of the island as a national park marks a shift in the way the flora is perceived and treated. There is an environmental transition phase, moving from one utopia to another, from one desire to another, from control to letting go. The gardens on the island were established and designed with a certain dream in mind, and today we see what remains of that dream.

National parks, renowned for their high level of protection, serve multiple purposes beyond conservation alone. Despite common belief, national parks are not always the strictest form of protection. They are versatile spaces, accommodating various activities while prioritising conservation. The plan on Veliki Brijuni puts emphasis on preserving and improving the balance of natural and human activities that have evolved historically. To achieve these goals, zoning systems are implemented with tailored regulations for each area. Strict protection measures are enforced in sensitive zones, especially those housing rare and endangered species. Meanwhile, certain parts of the park are allowed to develop naturally, fostering biodiversity. Some areas, such as the meadows, are intentionally maintained to preserve their current state. Other parts of the garden, that were once controlled, have been left to flourish. The approaches are plural and targeted to the various needs of the flora and the heritage. The garden serves as a metaphor for the relationship we wish to have with the natural world. It is a site for interrogation; it is not a neutral space.