Tucked in the middle of North Brabant – a province in the south of the Netherlands, lies a small yet elegant castle called Heeswijk.
Don’t get me wrong, with its imposing rooms and spacious grounds, you wouldn’t call it small by regular housing standards. But it’s relatively diminutive when compared to other such fiefdoms of nobility in Europe.
I used to be obsessed with visiting castles for the entirety of my 20s, but over time I’ve become conflicted about worshiping at the altar of the rich and powerful elites of yesteryear.
It somehow just doesn’t sit well with me to admire the ill-gotten gains of the one-percenters throughout history, knowing that a select few lived in such opulence purely based on the accident of their birth while so many others were struggling to survive. A story as old as the time.
So I’m trying to limit my visits to castles that are either in the public patrimony or administered by a non-profit.
I also shift my focus to learning about the art on the display rather than on the history of rich and powerful dynasties. Heeswijk Castle is now managed and maintained by a non-profit foundation with wonderful staff and volunteers.
Castle garden in a blended style
In the case of Heeswijk Castle, the garden was even more charming for me than the imposing halls filled to the brim with luxurious furniture and fittings.
Just like the castle, the garden took many shapes over the centuries, as gardening styles came in and went out of fashion. It went from a perfectly symmetrical garden in the seventeenth century to a fluid, park-like garden with ponds and weeping willows in the nineteenth century.
3 Things I really liked about this castle garden, from a gardener’s perspective.
I’ve written more about the history below, but first I want to look at some practical inspiration we can take away from this castle garden. Yes, I know “practical” and “castle” are not two words that go together well in our day-to-day lives, but hear me out.
1. Tropicals combined with perennials
We can combine large tropical plants with ornamental natives and annuals and still have them look cohesive together. We don’t have to group the tropical plants together in one corner (unless we’re creating a more hospitable microclimate for them). Have a look at how these black canna lilies are surrounded by coreopsis.
By the way, here’s an article on black plants if you’re into goth gardening.
2. Slices of tall perennials
Tall perennials that tend to look a bit disheveled at their peak go really well at the back of the border. But we don’t have to shove them all the way in the back. We can assign an entire “slice” to them between equally tall shrubs.
Have a look at these Japanese anemones that reach their full bloom in September and October.
3. Islands of color in repeating patterns
If you’re planting the same ornamentals in multiple colors, you don’t necessarily have to group them together. They can be stand-alone islands of color in different parts of the garden. It’s the repetition of pattern (the same perennial) that gives the cohesive effect.
Again, case in point, the Japanese anemone in shades of fuchsia and white are different islands of color in mirroring parts of the garden.
4. The garden painted on a wall canvas.
Have a look at the photo below. What do you see behind the layers of plants? Doesn’t it look like a pond in the distance?
It was, in fact, the garden wall with traces of moss that looked like the ripples on a body of water. Almost like a canvas that the garden is painted on. It’s a stunning effect in person and I’m still thinking of how it could be replicated in a home garden.
How the castle garden transformed over the centuries.
In 1835, the park-style garden of Heeswijk Castle of the seventeenth century was redesigned again and its undulating shape was straightened into a grid of sharp corners and orderly hedges.
This time, with a new addition – a garden wall that had to look old in the Dutch style of the seventeenth century, with layers of red and white stone and even fake loopholes in it. To make it all complete and somewhat old-school looking.
Even though the purpose of the wall was mostly that of historical reproduction, it also serves a very practical goal, even to this day. Stone walls serve as energy capture sinks, absorbing heat during the day and giving off heat when the temperatures dip at night.
Gardening along a garden wall also creates a microclimate while at the same time acting as a windbreak. In a country as flat and windy as the Netherlands, a garden wall is a much-needed addition.
Back to seventeenth century designs
Fast forward more than a hundred years, to 1949, when Baron Willem and Baroness Albertine were allowed to live in the ‘Koetshuis’ – the small house, not the large castle. At that time, the garden was abandoned and neglected – you know, due to a war having ravaged most of Europe.
This is where details get a little bit fuzzy for me. Because according to the official website of the castle, the restoration of the garden started after 1949 using designs by famous Dutch landscaper Copijn.
Here comes the confusion, as there were three generations of Copijn men famous for their formal garden landscaping. And the last one – Louis Copijn – passed away in 1945. I’m assuming it was him though, but don’t quote me on that.
With Copijn designs, the garden has returned to an Old Dutch formal garden, inspired by the seventeenth century plans and characterized by a symmetric layout with straight paths criss-crossing lawns.
Nowadays, the same design still stands. To delight and instruct and serve as a relaxation nook after a visit to the castle on a long summer’s day.
You might like other some of my other articles, such as:
The hidden beauty of black houseplants
Gift ideas for people who love plants
Colorful houseplants to brighten up your home
