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Imperial gift in new bloom at Sylling vicarage

The tenant farmer at Sylling vicarage took action in time. He had a historic cherry tree moved from the Government Quarter to the farm by Lake Tyrifjorden. It was by no means certain that it would end well.
Published 05.07.2022
Fritjof Myrene is a landscape gardener with 20 years’ experience as the tenant farmer at Sylling vicarage.
The new cherry tree is marked with a yellow arrow, below the house.

The beautiful, 65-year-old Japanese cherry tree had taken root in the middle of the Government Quarter. It was given as a gift to Foreign Minister Halvard Lange when he visited Emperor Hirohito in Tokyo in 1957.

It became clear that the old cherry tree would not be able to survive for very long on the construction site when the Government Quarter was to be rebuilt.

Fritjov Myrene, who, in addition to being the tenant farmer at Sylling vicarage, was also a project manager at Agaia, which is responsible for the outdoor spaces in the new Government Quarter, saw that he had ample space at the vicarage itself, and says: :

Professionally speaking, I am more than averagely interested in this imperial gift, and I very much want us to succeed. That is why I brought the tree home and planted it in good surroundings and good soil. In this way, I can take extra good care of it and tend to it to the best of my ability.

Statsbygg, for its part, believes in a new spring and a new location for the historic cherry tree once the Government Quarter is complete.