From a blue barrel, a skeleton breaks out over the edge. A neon-green puddle spreads out in front of it.
This is the kind of sight that greets visitors to the garden on Erantisvej in Nakskov, where Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe and her family transform their home into a Halloween universe every year.
But the creepiness has its limits. Everyone should be able to join in.
"We have a local kindergarten that has a tradition of visiting the garden every single year," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
Some of the Halloween decorations in the Løvenskjold Schoppe family's garden are inspired by horror films. (Photo: © Morten Koefoed Søndergaard, DR.DK)
The neighbors have nicknamed the family's home the Halloween House. Every year, Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe and her family open their garden to visitors. But this year, it has taken a bit more effort to bring out the skeletons and ghosts again.
In the spring, Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe lost her nine-year-old daughter, Natalie, who was struck by a brain tumor.
> It was our daughter's last wish that the garden be decorated
Halloween has been a fixed part of the family's autumn for years. Last year, too, the garden was to be decorated. That was Natalie's wish, even though she was already ill at the time.
"It was our daughter's last wish that the garden be decorated," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
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A tradition that gives back
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When Natalie became ill, the family decided to give the garden a new purpose. They began collecting donations for the Children's Cancer Fund, and last year the donations amounted to around 16,000 kroner.
"Since we have our garden open to the public anyway, we thought it could be a good way to raise some money for a good cause," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe thinks it makes sense to decorate the garden because it collects donations for the Children's Cancer Fund. (Video: © Morten Koefoed Søndergaard, DR.DK)
The Children's Cancer Fund has helped the family during the illness. Among other things, they have received financial support for psychological help for all their children.
"It has helped us a great deal financially that we have been able to get grants for a psychologist, so we didn't have to pay for a psychologist for our three children ourselves," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
Marianne and Sylvester Løvenskjold Schoppe have made it a family tradition to decorate their home for Halloween. (Photo: © private, Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe)
That is why ghosts, pumpkins, and witch's cauldrons have also been brought out this year.
"I just feel that the garden and all the decorations make sense now, because it has a purpose. It's supposed to collect donations for something. So that's why we've kept going," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
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A garden full of homemade monsters
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In the middle of the garden, a large spider sits atop a straw bale. With its many red eyes and long legs, it is hard to miss. The family built it themselves from joint foam, plastic pipes, and spray paint.
"Many of the things are bought, but then we've given them a twist of more creepiness," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
It takes about 14 days to get the garden ready for Halloween, in addition to the time the family spends making the decorations themselves.
This year, Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe's husband, Sylvester Løvenskjold Schoppe, has helped extra much with decorating the garden. She herself has been diagnosed with cancer, and the medication makes it difficult for her to stand up for long periods at a time.
Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe's husband, Sylvester Løvenskjold Schoppe, has helped extra much to get the garden ready for Halloween guests this year. (Video: © Morten Koefoed Søndergaard, DR.DK)
The garden was ready two weeks before Halloween already. During the daytime, visitors have been able to walk among skeletons, pumpkins, and witch's cauldrons until 9 PM.
"We will decorate the garden for the Children's Cancer Fund or other cancer fundraisers as long as we can and want to," says Marianne Løvenskjold Schoppe.
The family hopes to have 300 rattling children visit tonight.
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