For several years already I have been regularly writing garden columns for garden magazines and for the daily press. Please find below a selection of my texts (only available in German language):
- garden design
- perennial nursery
- floristry
Posts Written Byhcsadmin
Hortvs Collection
I have been interested in and inspired by herbaceous perennials ever since I started gardening. Thus, together with my husband, Michael Frinke, I have collected about four thousand different perennials, grasses and geophytes for the hortvs up to now. In the course. In the course of time some species have become our favorites.
This is why we refer to the following species as Hortvs-Collection:
- Helleborus (all wild species, the famous collection of Helen Ballard and our own hybrids)
- Galanthus (almost all wild species, about 500 cultivars and about 200 selections which have not been named so far )
- Polygonatum (about 40 different species and varieties)
- Thalictrum (about 40 different species and varieties)
- Arisaema (about 25 different species)
- Libertia (20 different species)
- Erythronium (30 different species)
- Agapanthus (55 different species)
- Sempervivum and Jovibarba (about 180 different species)
- Epimedium (about 50 different species )
- Miscanthus (about 30 different species)
- Ferns (about 100 different species and varieties)
We very much aim to produce more and more of these difficult to breed plants, also for sale. Visitors to our nursery already find a wide choice of the genera of Helleborus, Thalictrum, Sempervivum, Miscanthus, Epimedium and hardy ferns.
Hortvs
Hortvs (Latin for “garden”) is the epitome of our company.
It simply summarizes what we care about.
Moreover, it stands for our gardenshop, where you find cut flowers as well as decorative and useful accessories for the garden during our opening hours. And it also denotes our perennial nursery, where we offer you selected garden plants and rare herbaceous perennials.
In the gardener’s paradise England I was given the honour of participating in the gardening of Mrs. Beth Chatto, the grande dame of English gardening culture. Inspired and spurred by these experiences, I arrived at the decision, that gardening on such a high level should be introduced to Germany too.
In addition to my garden planning, however, I wanted to create an own garden, which lives up to this idea.
Soon my first garden, which was only a relict of the former nursery of my grandmother Melanie Thomas, became to small for my gardening ambitions.
For this reason I moved together with my family In Mai 2005 and we found our new domicile as an overgrown washeland.
By now a garden has come into being according my ideas.
It consists of many different areas.
Thus, in a humid, almost boggy corner, we created a water garden with three natural ponds.
A large, sandy and dry field was turned into an all year round attractive gravel garden.
Ancient oaks and beeches shield the woodland garden.
An alley of formally planted Mediterranean cypresses guides the way to the house, which is flanked by a formal garden and other individual designed garden areas.
You are cordially invited to visit our garden during opening hours.
We very much look forward to your visit,
Yours,
Peter Janke
Floristry in Advent 2025
Dear HORTVS Floristry Customers,
unfortunately, Advent 2025 will not be able to take place as usual in our floristry department this year.
We are also suffering greatly from the general shortage of staff and are therefore unable to accept orders this year.
Of course, we are making every effort to offer our beautiful HORTVS floristry continuously until Saturday the 4th Advent (20 December 2025).
Thank you for understanding!
Your Floristry Team
Opening hours from November:
Thursdays and Fridays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Spring excursion through the HORTVS with Peter Janke 2026
On Maundy Thursday 02 April 2026 and Easter Saturday 04 April 2026, Peter Janke invites you to a botanical spring excursion through his HORTVS. As we are currently in the best time for replanting perennials and bulbous plants, the HORTVS nursery is brimming with wonderful opportunities to optimise your beds.
Garden Design
For the individual design of your garden we develop a personally adjusted concept, which meets your ideas of style and function:
- Visit to your garden on site
- Development of design concepts
- Creation of hand-drawn conceptual designs
- Concepts and planting plans with perennials
- Optimal selection of plants and material
- Execution of all planting works on request
- Realisation of construction works by specialist companies on request
- All services of planning and consulting will be charged at an hourly rate of 160,- Euro (VAT incl.)
Our office can generally be reached Tuesdays to Fridays from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm…
Garden
Photos © Jürgen Becker
Guided Garden Walks
During our opening hours we cordially welcome groups interested in gardening to the Hortvs.
From March to November group visits are possible during our opening hours (Thu. and Fri. 10.00 am to 6.00 pm; Sat. 10.00 to 4.00 pm) with prior agreement.
We will be pleased to send you our terms for a guided walk through the garden with Peter Janke or one of our staff members individually by E-Mail.
We look forward to your request!
Plants
Photos © Jürgen Becker
Garden Design
Photos by different photographers