Gardens of the Netherlands

5 days | £2550 pp with flights | 2-6 Sept 24

Friesland & Groningen, beyond the bulbfields

This tour takes in the two most Northern provinces of The Netherlands, Groningen and Friesland. Both are largely rural provinces with rich, fertile soils and equally rich histories. Here we will discover traditionally moated stately mansions with gardens, formal in layout but more informal and romantic in planting; prairie-style plantings around buildings both private and public, including a garden laid out by well-known designer Piet Oudolf. We will meet another Dutch garden designer, Nico Kloppenborg, who will welcome us to his own garden before guiding us around the historic grounds of a unique social housing project which he has adapted for today’s living. A special invitation to a private lunch allows us into a beautifully restored, traditional farmhouse. Tour host is Sophie Piebenga, well-known to Boxwood clients, who is delighted to welcome you to this favourite area of her home country; she has teamed up once again with experienced tour leader Marion Mako. We will stay in De Prinsenhof, a superior boutique hotel right in the historic centre of the provincial capital of Groningen. Located in one of the city's oldest and most stunning buildings, it overlooks the beautiful 17th century adjacent walled garden De Prinsentuin. 

Day to day Itinerary

Day 1

We start with a museum garden laid out by Piet Oudolf at the Singer in Laren where we shall enjoy a light lunch. We then make our way up North to the province of Friesland to Lianne’s Siergrassen where since 2006 she has been a collection holder of ornamental grasses. Big skies are off-set by Lianne’s richly textured and tactile grass and perennial garden, threaded with narrow paths leading to viewing points over the garden and surrounding landscape. From there we drive across to De Prinsenhof, our luxury hotel right in the historic centre of Groningen where we will dine together.

Day 2

A short drive North get us out in the countryside to De Menkemaborg, a typically Gronings small moated stately home. Its faithfully reconstructed, early 18th-century formal garden boasts various topiary shapes, urns and a fruit garden with ancient varieties of apple and pear as well as a fiendish maze. There will also be an opportunity to view the original interior of the house. We then have a special lunch invitation from the owners of an award winning beautifully restored early 19th century private farmhouse, with plenty of time to explore the surrounding modern, well-planted garden with its unique triangular hedges, laid out over farmland bisected by multiple canals. On our way back to our hotel we stop off in Groningen for an exclusive visit to small very private town garden with an interesting history. The short walk back to the hotel leads us through the historic city centre. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 3

Today we travel west to Friesland where we have been invited to the private home of garden designer Nico Kloppenborg in the scenic village of Mantgum. After showing us around his own garden where he has incorporated some unusual planting ideas, Nico will accompany us to the St Anthony Gasthuis in the city of Leeuwarden where he has sensitively replanted the grounds around an original hospital, adapting it to its present use as a social housing community. We go on to the nearby Dekema State, an absolute gem of a stately home and an example of a once self-sufficient estate. After a picnic lunch we will be guided around the wonderful garden with its fantastically shaped, espalier fruit trees and well-maintained flower borders. Here too will be an opportunity to view the interior of the traditional Frisian stately home. Return to De Prinsenhof where we enjoy an evening at leisure.

Day 4

We travel east to Tuingoed Foltz, a huge herbaceous nursery belonging to Dutch Andries Bierling and American Bob Foltz, both well-known and respected for their considerable plant knowledge. The nursery and gardens are extensive and contain over 3000 herbaceous plants, grasses and exotics as well as national collections of salvia, hosta and echinacea. On to Tuinfleur, once a large former market garden, now private home, cultivated with passion by third generation owner Rika van Delden (and her husband Pieter who seldom stops pruning the 2 miles of beech hedging) This outwardly suburban back garden holds many horticultural and colourful surprises. Here we shall be treated to a lunch consisting of typical local fayre. Our final visit today is to Museum De Buitenplaats Eelde, an organically-shaped museum which houses a private collection of art. Surrounding it, a modern garden designed by renowned Dutch landscape architect Jorn Copijn contains spaces in which to display further sculptures. Return to De Prinsenhof where we will join for dinner.

Day 5

After a relaxed start we check out of our hotel and make our way to the Stadtstuin Kempkensberg in the city of Groningen. Designed by the multi-award winning landscape architect Lodewijk Baljon in 2008, this spectacular nine acre park is planted above an underground car-park. Consisting of herbaceous and grass planting along with meadows and forest edge vegetation grown in very thin soil, this space is like no other city park.  After coffee and a light snack, we will make our way to Schiphol airport, to return to Heathrow.

With Flights: £2550

Join Direct: £2450

Single Supp: £315

Departure Dates:

2 to 6 September 2024

Duration:

4 nights / 5 days

Your Holiday Includes:

• Four nights at the Hotel Prinsenhof, Groningen with all breakfasts plus evening meals with local wines included, and five lunches as stated in the itinerary.
• Private coach transfers and excursions
• Services of the Tour Leader and Hosts
• Detailed programme and garden notes

Tour Lecturers

Sophie Piebenga

Born in The Netherlands and based in the Cotswolds, our expert Sophie Piebenga has lived most of her life in the UK. Trained with the National Trust and qualified at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, all whilst working as head gardener of a private estate, Sophie quickly developed a particular interest in the conservation of historic gardens. This eventually led to a doctoral study at the University of York, researching the work of the early Victorian landscape gardener, William Sawrey Gilpin. Sophie has since worked freelance, mostly in the field of historic landscape conservation, and, for the last 25 years, has regularly led Boxwood tours around the UK and to Ireland, France, Spain and The Netherlands.

Marion Mako

After giving up a ‘safe’ job to train as a garden designer, Marion cut her horticultural teeth at the fabulous Special Plants nursery run by Derry Watkins. Following this, she completed an MA in Garden History at the University of Bristol. The historical, architectural and garden knowledge gained from this course has informed, shaped and enriched Marion’s work ever since. As all of Marion’s gardens are a work in progress, her learning and development continues, enhanced by the people she meets through research, tours, talks and design work.

Hotel Resort: Hotel Prinsenhof, Groningen

Travel Information

The tour starts at London Heathrow Monday 2nd September: airline recommended check-in at 06:40 for the 08:40 departure of KLM flight KL1002. 

Those wishing to make their own travel arrangements should state this on their booking form.

Please note that Boxwood Tours use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.