The approximately nine-acre area for the park was purchased in 1899 by the city administration. The garden architect Reinhold Hoemann won in 1904 the design competition for the new plant of the city garden. He designed the Stadtgarten Herne as a scenic park, framed by a forest fringe. The garden was built in the years 1906 to 1908. Even today you will find there the then current design principles of the Lenné-Meyer school: Typical of this is, for example, the lack of Wegehierarchie. Instead, the paths merge into one another in wide turns. The crossroads were marked by tree and shrub groups. The existing park restaurant was built in 1909 and completes the city garden.
Originally, a large pond with fountains was the focal point of the complex. This area was followed by lawns with geometric ornamental beds. There is still the Jahn monument, which was unveiled in 1911. From this central area until today a large part of the shape of the terrain or the course of the paths has been preserved. He is still the heart of the system today.
The biggest and most noticeable change came from the ongoing transformation of the large pond complex. This was completed in 1908, but already in 1911 caused mining subsidence subsidence idle the pond. Due to continued loss of water, the pond was dismantled in the 1950s. Instead, put on a small pool. From the large pond remained only a meadow, which traces the shape of the pond even today. Today the pond is in the middle of a flower meadow. Frogs and newts have already been spotted here.
In 1965, the city garden around the northern part (between Vinckestraße and Hölkeskampring) was extended by large meadows and a playground on about 10.5 hectares.
Since the 1950s, a new design element has formed a representative double axis that connects the Teichwiese with the outdoor gastronomy of the Park Restaurant. At the center of the axis were large beds with annual ornamental plants. Japanese ornamental cherries make a beautiful flower in April. The central bed becomes a colored ribbon with its pink bed roses throughout the summer.
For the 100th anniversary of the city garden also other parts of the city garden were completely revised. In October 2012, the last work on the park was completed. Today the park is again "the good room" of the citizens of Herne. The remaining historical elements were preserved in this renovation, or were taken up again. New perennial beds and the newly planted historic Rosenrondell enhance the attractiveness and the recreational value of the park.
