Overview of OpdeHaar garden in the Hoevelakense Wood in The Netherlands |
OpdeHaar – 5 acres of interconnecting gardens |
Here is and overview of OpdeHaar garden. Our garden comprises almost 5acres (2ha) of inter-connecting gardens. It is situated in the Hoevelakense Wood in the centre of the Netherlands, close to Amersfoort and on the boundary between Gelderland and Utrecht. The Hoevelakense Wood is owned by a trust – Stichting Geldersch Landschap en Kastelen – much like the British National Trust. Much of the planting in the garden is the work of the current owners, John and Joyce Ramsbotham, who have been developing the gardens since 1991. However the work is never done and we continue to make improvements. By clicking on “8 Gardens“ you can find more detailed information on the individual gardens and their plants. In addition a general background on the establishment of the gardens is given under “History“.
Woodland and shade-tolerant plants |
Although woodland and shade-tolerant plants predominate in most parts of the garden, each of the various areas has a distinctive character. Numerous varieties of acers, magnolia, rhododendron, camellia, bamboo, ferns, hosta can be admired. Indeed over the years the planting has evolved into something which caters for the plantsman looking for the unusual with something of interest at all times of the year.
Recovered marshland becomes garden |
OpdeHaar Garden has a unique character as it is set in the middle of a wood, which was recovered from marshland many centuries ago. Indeed the 18 parallel drainage channels in the wood are still present today. Our ditches are full of water during the winter but dry during the summer months. As a result, the character of the garden is constantly changing throughout the seasons.
Ditches in the wood in the four seasons |
While woodland plants are undoubtedly the unique feature of OpdeHaar gardens, some areas to the south of the house experience very sunny conditions. The Tropical border, Rose Garden and “Fire and Ice” garden are 3 specific examples of the sunny spots.
In 2020 we built a stumpery as a home for a fern collection.
Furthermore there are also many different ferns growing in other parts of the garden and in the wood.
