Private estate, Leiestreek, Belgium

Enclosed between the buildings, near the centre of a Flemish provincial town, lies a green oasis. The design of this private domain is characterised by the subtle interplay of lines through which greenery, water and buildings merge unnoticed. As a result, a walk feels welcoming and natural. By using almost mature trees and large multi-stemmed solitary trees, this feeling was already realised during construction. The trees have a lived-in character and thus blend seamlessly with the buildings. A footpath, which invites you to explore the estate, connects the garden themes. To create calm, the central part of the domain is deliberately kept open. The tightly clipped yew shapes give the eye a foothold and contribute to becoming fully immersed in this green oasis. Nowhere is a hard plot boundary discernible so that, subtle with greenery, the garden has a natural transition with its surroundings. Sculptures placed strategically throughout the design add variety to the circular walk.

In creating the planting plan, an emphasis was placed on creating a long flowering arch. This ensures that flowers are present for a large part of the year and insects can find pollen and nectar. This increases the contribution to biodiversity on the estate. In early spring, from mid-January onwards, the first witch-hazels bloom, with a pallet of spring bloomers such as winter aconites, crocuses, snowdrops and, later, wild daffodils in the tree bed. The power here is in the mass of flowers and colour. From the month of May, pink and white predominate through the flowering of various varieties of ornamental cherries. The summer months are characterised by tranquillity of greenery in abundance. An exuberant flowering of the flower borders where a varied prairie-like planting gives a nice balance with the green of the woody plants. The grasses and roses bloom in abundance and also herald the beginning of autumn followed by a true ‘Indian Summer’ to which the Zelkova serrata, Nyssa sylvatica, and Acer x freemanii contribute. The bright red, orange and yellow colours are quenched by the white/pink colour of the bark of Betula nigra. In the dark winter months, the large pond, at the heart of the estate, reflects a lot of light on the bare silhouette of the trees. Striking then is the well-chosen perimeter of the grounds with trees like Quercus robur, Q. cerris, Ulmus glabra and lime species like Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’.

The broad outline of the planting concept, with a clear vision towards diversity was determined by the landscape architect. Together with the landscape architect, the clients of the project sought further inspiration and information at the tree nursery. For each part of the design, an atmosphere and the type of tree to go with it were determined in advance. Walking along the rows of trees, the final planting plan was developed. For the garden room at the country house, a cheerful variegated-leaved Acer negundo ‘Variegata’ was selected, which matches the colour shade of the water fountain. In spring, the pure white flowers of Prunus x yedoensis are enhanced by the red tiled roof of the garage behind. Along the outer edge of the estate, trees were chosen that have a closed crown and carry their leaves long through the season. This gives residents of the surrounding properties a nice full green view. Species such as Liriodendron tulipifera, Taxus baccata and Liquidambar styraciflua were specifically chosen for this purpose. The tall slender trees found at the nursery fitted the desired image exactly.