About this place
Svinviks arboretum is a botanical garden in Surnadal municipality, in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It sits in a sheltered spot beside Todalsfjorden, hemmed in by steep mountains, and is best known for its rhododendrons and conifers. Today it is a museum garden that welcomes visitors during the summer season.
How did the garden at Svinvik begin?
It started in 1943, when Anne and Halvor Svinvik began turning their small farm, Gjengstøa in Svinvika, into a garden of unusual plants. Halvor Svinvik (1894-1976) was a fruit grower with a long-standing interest in plants from other parts of the world, especially rhododendrons and conifers. He raised most of them from seed sent by contacts abroad. Anne Svinvik, originally from Bjugn, was also closely involved in running the garden.
By the 1960s the collection counted among the largest private plant collections in Norway. In 1971 the couple donated the garden and its plants to the science museum in Trondheim (Vitenskapsmuseet). Since 2010 Surnadal municipality has owned the site, and Nordmøre museum runs it as a museum garden. It also serves as a memorial to its two founders.
What plants can you see here?
Depending on the source, the collection includes about 200 conifer species and cultivars and several hundred rhododendron species and cultivars. The figures vary, with one source giving about 450 and another about 375 rhododendron varieties, so treat them as approximate. Beyond these, the garden has many broadleaf trees, ornamental shrubs, perennial beds and fruit trees. The old orchard belongs to the former farm.
One curiosity is the hardy Rhododendron brachycarpum Tiegerstedtii Group. It thrives so well here that seedlings pop up on tree stumps and moss-covered stones.
When is the best time to visit?
Spring and early summer, when the rhododendrons bloom and the garden is at its busiest. It is open to the public in the summer season, roughly from May to early August. Dates can change, so check the current details with Nordmøre museum before you travel.
What else should you know?
During the season there are guided tours, plus a cafe with outdoor seating. The garden lies along national road 671 toward the Todalen valley, in the interior of Nordmøre. It makes a good stop on a trip through the Sunndalen valley and around Surnadal, especially for anyone who enjoys botany, plant photography or quiet walks among greenery.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Svinviks arboretum? In Surnadal municipality, beside Todalsfjorden, in Møre og Romsdal, Norway.
Who created the garden? Anne and Halvor Svinvik, who began building it in 1943 on their farm.
Who runs it today? Surnadal municipality owns it, and Nordmøre museum operates it.
Is it open all year? No, it is open in the summer season, roughly May to August.
What is the main attraction? The rhododendron collection, especially in bloom, along with the conifers.
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