Mainau Island – Lake Constance
Mainau Island
A Summer in Bloom
Set in the blue waters of Lake Constance, Mainau is a garden shaped by colour, season and time.
Known as the Flower Island, Mainau brings together gardens, old trees, architecture and sweeping views across Lake Constance. Paths wind through cascades of colour, while carefully composed flowerbeds transform the landscape into an ever-changing canvas.
An Island Made of Flowers
Mainau is a place experienced through colour. Across its gardens, flowers are arranged not simply as decoration but as part of a landscape that changes continuously with the seasons.
In summer, vivid borders, sculpted beds and individual blooms create a succession of small scenes. Some demand attention with brilliant colour; others reveal themselves quietly along shaded paths and beneath mature trees.
“On Mainau, the garden becomes a journey — one composed in flowers, light and views across the water.”
A Garden by the Water
What makes Mainau particularly memorable is the constant presence of Lake Constance. Between flowers and trees, glimpses of blue appear unexpectedly, opening the garden towards the surrounding landscape.
The water brings a sense of space and calm to the island. Garden paths become viewpoints, and the contrast between cultivated nature and the wide lake gives Mainau its unmistakable atmosphere.
Beauty in the Smallest Things
Beyond the grand flowerbeds, Mainau rewards a slower eye. A sunflower turning towards the light, the geometry of petals, or a single splash of colour among green leaves becomes a landscape of its own.
It is in these details that a garden becomes personal: fleeting impressions collected while wandering without hurry.
The Bernadotte Legacy
The modern story of Mainau is closely connected with Count Lennart Bernadotte and his family. Under his direction, the island developed into the celebrated garden destination known today, combining horticulture, culture and hospitality.
In 1974, Count Lennart Bernadotte and Countess Sonja Bernadotte transferred the island and its possessions to Mainau GmbH. Today, the company is owned by the Lennart Bernadotte Foundation and continues the long tradition of preserving and developing this remarkable landscape.
The result is more than a botanical attraction. Mainau is a cultivated landscape in which history, architecture and garden culture continue to meet.
Mainau · Lake Constance
The garden island lies just off the shores of Konstanz in southern Germany, surrounded by the waters of Lake Constance.