Mayor finds rich pickings in abbey garden

(JB) Being mayor doesn't exclude you from getting your hands dirty, as Luxembourg's City mayor showed on Friday when participating in a grape harvest at the abbey.

Lydie Polfer and various city councillors gathered for the annual "vendanges" in the “Klouschtergaart”, a garden located beside Neimënster Abbey at the food of the Bock cliffs.

The four-acre gardens, which have their own micro-climate, were restored in 2004 to grow medicinal plants, grape vines and vegetables, just as they did in the past.

What makes the gardens particularly special is that they are dedicated to agro-biodiversity, in which seeds from native plants are used, leading to the cultivation of plants which are more resistant.

Among the grape varieties grown there are Elbling, Rivaner and Pinot. The grapes are used to make wine using a traditional method.

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