The garden of Mustio Manor

You know you're truly in vacation mode when you can't remember what day of the week it is… One day we made a spontaneous trip to Mustio Manor without checking the opening hours beforehand.

The manor and museum are only open for guided tours, and there were none available on Mondays (which is quite common, as many museums are closed on Mondays). However, the manor garden alone was well worth the visit!

In the photos you can see the yellow main building, Mustio Manor (Mustion Linna), and the white Edelfelt Hotel. Last but not least is the old neo-gothic stable, beautifully hidden under climbing hydrangeas.

The information signs explained that the English-style park in the area is one of the largest private parks in Finland. It featured many beautiful details. In addition to statues and flowers, there was also a folly, the Bridge of Love, and a waterlily path.

The garden statues were exactly the kind that delight on a sunny summer day and on a dark and stormy night are super scary. I was reminded of a horror story I read as a teenager, where the statues came to life on a certain day of the year… Hrrr. One friend told me that Mustio Manor's restaurant has hosted Halloween-themed evenings with appropriate costumes and decorations. I can easily imagine the surroundings being a perfect match for that!

One of my favorite spots in the park was the area next to the restaurant. There were enormous trees with branches arching gracefully over the park benches, and the sunlight flickered through the leaves. It was the kind of atmosphere that’s hard to capture in photos!