Chapter 5 - A Person of a Thousand Crafts
“Life has become too square-minded. We have to let our fantasy and our free-thinking flow. If not, our own heads will end up square-shaped.”
— Nils Hiorth (1920-2006)
When Nils came back around 1980 to Håskog after 21 years living in America, his vision was to make the plant nursery and the garden great again and to develop a tourism center with arts and crafts.
He was an artist decorating spaces with remade, used objects. Nils and his wife Lorraine, were known for their creation of the western village in Kongeparken and the restaurant Brygga in Flekkefjord.
Lamps in all imaginable shapes and sizes, as well as a myriad of strange objects of all kinds, are left behind after him.
“We should have every opportunity to rebuild Norway`s and even Europe's most beautiful botanical park” says Nils Hiorth.
“The greenhouses have fallen apart, the ditches have collapsed and the bog has swamped. But we have the frame. It's about replacing the image. The image of one Håskog in growth after old Gunnar Hiorth`s revolutionary ideas. Can you see how good the trees and bushes have survived even without any maintenance? That was my fathers original idea, To grow hardy and exotic plants. He succeeded, despite all the warnings and gloomy predictions. “
“We should have every opportunity to rebuild Norway`s and even Europe's most beautiful botanical park. With lakes and paths and all that is included. The property is big enough for that. Maybe we will have fish in the lakes and some boats for the tourists. I am also hoping to get some celebrities to visit. Musicians, artists. Maybe exhibitions. There are many ideas”.
“Life has become too square minded. We have to let our fantasy and our free thinking flow. If not, our own heads will end up square shaped.”
Follow the link below to watch Nils Hiorth on an episode of Norge Rundt - kapittel 6 - Håskog: Ekteparet Hiorth.