The Topacz castle is a historical object, picturesquely located in the neighborhood of vast natural terrain. It is about 30 ha of meadows and forests, the Ślęza and the Młynówka rivers flow in the area, and hotel buildings and restaurants are surrounded with atmospheric gardens. A large pond with an island and a fountain is undoubtedly also a great attraction.
Walkways throughout the area and the greenery, both the “wild” kind and that designed by human, encourage you to take a walk.
Having our guests in mind, we pay special attention to the green areas which surround the hotel buildings. A team of gardeners put a lot of effort in so that the terrain is always taken care of and its greenery pleases the senses. Its diversity is the reason that the gardens are attractive throughout the whole season.
Thousands of bulbous plants, such as snowdrops, crocuses, squills, narcissi, and tulips are first to welcome spring with its flowers. These are followed by various blooming magnolias and ornamental cherry trees as well as rhododendrons and azaleas that charm visitors with their beauty. The Judas trees are also worth seeing, their purple and pink little flowers grow directly from the trunk, which gives the impression that the whole shrub seems to be swarming with flowers!
Summer is the time of spireas, perennials, and roses, and the air is soaked with the smell of blooming lindens. Hundreds of hydrangeas prevail during the fall and their charm is irresistible. All of these are accompanied by large areas of ornamental grass. During that time, the leaves of trees gleam with a whole blaze of fall colors, creating unforgettable sights.
Winter is a time for the plants to get some rest, but that does not mean that the winter walks are less magical. On the contrary – it is a time when the whole area becomes wonderful due to the Christmas illuminations.
To make the walk not only pleasant but also enriching in knowledge about nature, since 2018, the plants are gradually marked with plates with their names. The majority of the plants are also marked with QR codes on their plates. A visitor can scan a code with a mobile phone in order to display a link that redirects to a detailed description of a specific plant in an e-catalog of the Polish Nurserymen Association.
NURTURING BIRDS
Special care is devoted to our winged friends. We have hung nest boxes all over the whole area of the Topacz castle in order to provide shelter for various species of birds and also bats. Every winter, the nest boxes are cleaned and maintained in order to be used as long as possible.
The island in the middle of the pond has a house for swans, which have come into the area recently.
Attentive strollers may also meet the unusual, most beautiful of all ducks in the world - the mandarin duck from Asia which floats along the Młynówka river. The luckiest strollers may be able to notice our native kingfisher – a bird that is as fast as lightning and has glamorous plumage. When walking in the area of the castle, it is worth being aware as it is possible to see green woodpeckers, grey herons, and even uniquely proud great white herons amidst the surrounding nature near the hotel.
RESCUING RED SQUIRRELS!
Since fall 2017, we have two aviaries for squirrels. Squirrels that live there (usually for a few weeks), are animals that were saved from death – orphaned young or found injured squirrels that had been under human care for a long time. We are in cooperation with Wrocław’s Eko-straż (eco-watch) and other organizations that deal with the rehabilitation of wild animals and our main goal is a gradual reintroduction of the healed squirrels to live freely. There are also boxes hung around for these likeable mammals in the area of Topacz castle.
