The long narrow garden is divided up into several linked rooms and combines many different styles of garden design: a landscape garden, where the visitor can become a stage extra and stroll along a curved path, a round garden – the ‘green room’, named after the rooms in English theatres where actors rehearse their lines, and a symmetrical garden with straight lines where the viewer becomes the focus of attention and has the feeling that he or she is playing the main role.
There is a small patio garden with subtropical plants directly behind the house. This was created as a transitional area between the house and the gently hilly ground of the park-like area. De Heerenhof thus unites numerous facets of garden design, both the more “male”, park-like and formal areas as well as the more “female” cottage-garden elements such as colour arrangements in borders and the idyllic atmosphere of a farmhouse garden. Garden lovers will above all be surprised by the artistic plant combinations.
De Heerenhof is an example of a garden created by true garden lovers. Friends Jo Willemsen and Jan van Opstal, who began with the design of the garden as enthusiastic amateurs in the 1980s, have since attained a recognised position in the gardening world through self-study and practical experience and now support other gardening enthusiasts with helpful advice.
The fact that Jo Willemsen and Jan van Opstal originally come from the world of theatre is clearly evident from the design of the long narrow garden, which is divided up in typically Dutch manner.
It is subdivided into several “rooms” located behind each other and combines many facets of garden design: a landscape garden, where the visitor can become a stage extra and stroll along a curved path; a round garden – the “green room” named after the rooms in English theatres where actors rehearse their lines; and a symmetrical garden with straight lines where the viewer becomes the focus of attention and has the feeling that he or she is playing the main role.
There is a small patio garden with subtropical plants directly behind the house, which used to be a small farm on the edge of the former village of Heer. This was created as a transitional area between the house and the gently hilly ground of the park-like area.
In 1994, the garden was hit by a storm, which snapped off a large, distinctive ash tree standing at the centre of a circular flower bed. Several trees were planted in place of the ash in order to compensate for the loss, among them three plane trees which are slowly growing together to form a green dome.
From here a path leads to a small bridge across the pond and into the round garden. This garden is dominated by a double, ring-shaped avenue of espalier lime trees under which naturalised blue hyacinths grow in spring. They are surrounded by round box trees.
After this “dark” garden room the visitor enters a square garden containing broad borders planted with an unusual combination of colours – red, lilac and brown. The ornamental garden ends with a formal box garden which is always planted in different ways, e.g. with herbaceous perennials, oats or vegetables. The kitchen garden beyond this has a more rural character. Here the visitor finds fruit trees, free-roaming ornamental birds and a small tree nursery. A look over the rose hedge reveals grazing sheep.
De Heerenhof thus unites numerous facets of garden design: both the more “male”, park-like and formal areas as well as the more “female”, cottage-garden elements such as colour arrangements in borders and the idyllic atmosphere of a farmhouse garden. Garden lovers will above all be surprised by the artistic plant combinations. A new, formal garden has been laid out on the west side of the house. Hedges of varying heights have been planted here, resulting in a strict interplay of lines. There is a pond at the centre and a swimming pool beyond it on the north side.
Address:
Heerenhof Maastricht
Veldstraat 12a
6227 SZ Maastricht
Tel.: 043-4084800
Email: info@heerenhof.nl
Web: www.heerenhof.nl
Owner / Management: Jo Willems and Jan van Opstal / privat
Opening times:
The “Heerenhof” is open on the first three weekends (sat+sun) in June from 10-17 hrs.
Groups are welcome all year ’round, by appointment only.
For updated information on opening times see news on website www.heerenhof.nl
Entrance fees:
5,00 Euro p.p.
Event and exhibitions:
See recednt information on website www.heerenhof.nl
Visitor services:
- Tea Room / Restaurant: no
- Shop: no
- Toilet: ja
- Parking: in the street
- Benches: yes
- Average visitor duration: 1 hour
- Not accessible for persons with limited mobility
- Events for children: no
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