Nature

»The sun shines on the mountain ...

. . . it’s cute on the mountain.« So says a Slovenian folk song, which describes a pleasant life on the mountains. Slovenians love their green land of forests, far away from the crowds and the rush of everyday life. In Slovenia, almost 60% of the countryside is covered by forests, which means that almost every Slovenian town is close to a forest. Zaplana is located above Ljubljana and offers an exceptional experience of green landscapes and tranquillity.

Marinčev Hill

The property on Marinčev Hill in Zaplana has a rich cultural history, which is very much linked to the natural environment. The traditional rural landscape has been preserved to this day, reflected in the vast meadows, which are surrounded on all sides by well-preserved, natural forest. Marinčev hill is also recognised as the most climatically favourable area of Zaplana.

Pivka bird - symbol of Zaplana

Pivka is one of the three representatives of the boat fleet in Slovenia. It looks similar to the Green Woodpecker, but is slightly smaller and has a less distinct colour pattern on its head. It is announced with a loud, falling ‘beer-beer-beer-beer-beer’, hence its name. Pivka lives in Zaplana because of its extensive cultural landscape and forest. In this way, it symbolises the harmony between nature and the environment, which was created by man and is still managed sustainably today.

A visit to Zaplana - a surprise of a kind

You will be surprised on arrival. At the end of the local road, a new landscape opens up as you enter the property. In the heart of the estate is an old and well-preserved farmhouse. Here you have a view of the neighbouring hills with the Church of St. The church of St. Jerome has a very old bell dating from 1757. From here you can also see the old farm orchard, which has been refreshed with newly planted fruit trees of old, traditional Slovenian varieties of apple, pear and plum.

Among the trees

Zaplana boasts easily accessible viewpoints from where you can look out into endless distances. On the estate, you can wander along an extensive network of paths that follow old trails dating back to the 1890s. In Zaplana, you can also see the wild chestnut tree, which was once widespread in the area and therefore has a special significance.

The natural balance of space

The terraces of fruit trees create a dynamic balance between the large open lawns and the forest. Orchards are not just for fruit production. They create a natural balance of space that attracts bees, birds and other creatures, thus realising the principle of support, peace and reciprocity. The central point of Zaplana is the avenue of tepkas and mustangs, located along the main access road. The forest edge is rich in shrub plantations – such as hawthorn, dogwood, partridgeberry, elderberry, elderberry, holly, viburnum, raspberry, wild cherry – which provide habitat for many birds, natural enemies of fruit pests.

Traditional Slovenian fruit

Fruit production has a long tradition in Slovenia, as evidenced by the old place names derived from the fruit: Orehovica, Hrušica, Češnjica . . . In Zaplana, we revived the old tradition of growing native Slovenian apple and pear varieties such as beličniki, bobovci, voščenki, carjeviči and hruška tepka. The pear tree was already legalised by Maria Theresa’s reforms, whereby every landowner had to plant it for those who did not have it, and they could take it in peace. Walnut trees also have a special historical place, as they have always been an important part of the diet and have also acted as fire-protection trees. Their canopies kept fires from spreading through the villages.

Meadow flowers

Flowering meadows were once very common in these places. At Zaplana, we pay special attention to preserving flowering meadows, which is why we have revived them. You can admire the meadow flowers at Zaplana from late spring until autumn. Unmown meadows provide a picturesque setting and attract many beneficial insects.

Gartelc - vegetable and herb garden

At Zaplana you will also find a gartelc, a small vegetable and herb garden, where traditional herbs used by great-grandmothers in the 19th century to alleviate ailments and for cooking thrive. In addition to the forest and orchards, see the natural water springs, which are particularly precious in the dry, shrubby world of Zaplana. A spring, a small bathing area with a beach, and a stream covered with tadpoles and surrounded by a frog’s den are three water sources that will refresh and revitalise you.

Calming and soothing

There are many ways to get in touch with nature at Zaplana. The scent of the many fruit trees, ripening fruits, meadow herbs and the scent of the forest are calming and soothing. Climatically, Zaplana is a healing place, and the mixing of Mediterranean and continental air masses has always been therapeutic for the respiratory system.

The linden tree is a symbol of the Slovenian nation

The linden tree is considered a symbol of Slovene identity. One of the most famous Slovenian songs, “Lipa zelenela je”, is about the linden tree. Ancient linden trees still grow today by village churches, in castle courtyards, in village and town squares and next to farmhouses. Under the linden tree there is a gathering space and under the shady canopy there were often stone tables and benches. In Zaplana, there is also a place for socialising under the linden tree, a place for various stories and reflections, and a pleasant place for tasting local delicacies by the dragon’s hearth.

On hot days, it's time to visit the freezer

Frost areas are areas where it gets much colder on clear, calm, windless nights than in their surroundings. This means that the air temperature in the freezer can be more than 10 °C lower, which is especially pleasant on hot summer evenings when you can refresh yourself at dusk in the nearby freezer in Zaplana. Based on several years of measurements, the temperature in the freezer can drop below -30 °C in winter and below 0 °C in midsummer.

Energy cycle

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors usually planted a lime tree next to their settlement and placed stone circles around it to serve as a calendar, a sanctuary and a healing place. The strong energy of the circle encouraged people to make the right choices. A mighty lime tree still grows on the Zaplana in front of the farmhouse, and specially selected energy pebbles from the Soča River are placed around it in a diameter of 6. 3 metres. The circle and the pebble sites are very powerful energetically and give us energy to enrich our bodies.