Digital Guide

Paul Klee

Plan for a Garden Architecture

Ölfarbe, Aquarell und Kreide auf Leinwand auf Karton , 35,6 x 42,9 cm

Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern

Dry stone wall

The diversity – or the biodiversity – of our grounds is particularly important to us. So, we’ve built a dry-stone wall and let everything grow and become somewhat unkempt. Next to the dry-stone wall, individual stones as well as branches and logs are strewn about. This little habitat with its numerous nooks and crannies offers many insects and small animals places to hide and nest. There’s also an insect hotel here for the same reason.

About the Work

Paul Klee called this work “Plan for a Garden Architecture.” Do you see the plan in this garden architecture? It looks more like there isn’t one. But a wall is visible in the lower part of the structure. And when you turn the picture upside-down, the almost circular wall turns into a head seen from the side! It could also be a bird’s eye view of a garden: In the middle, the geometric beds are laid out symmetrically, with freer forms at the edges.

Learn More: The ZPK’s Bees

For several years, we have had multiple bee colonies living on our grounds. You can see the beehives from the “Museumsstrasse”. An observation hive allows us to closely see the small, hardworking bees. We have a special kind of bee: the European dark bee. This kind of bee is actually an old species that used to be native to our region. But over the centuries, other species – including those bred by humans – have displaced it. Now the European dark bee is rare. Comfortable in its native climate, this species is adaptable and gentle. It even handles its food reserves carefully. The association mellifera.ch is dedicated to the preservation and propagation of the European dark bee.

Information about mellifera.ch