Het temmen van Woestduin

Consensus has always been that a 1766 design for Woestduin by Adriaan Snoek was never realised. While that is probably true, new research into the owner’s financial records shows considerable involvement of Snoek in the layout of this park. As a surveyor, Snoek played an important role for two consecutive owners when they expanded the park to its current size. His name can also be attached to specific parts of the layout. Some of his work is still visible today, even after the creation of a racecourse (for horses) on this site in the early twentieth century.

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Summary

Consensus has always been that a 1766 design for Woestduin by Adriaan Snoek was never realised. While that is probably true, new research into the owner’s financial records shows considerable involvement of Snoek in the layout of this park. As a surveyor, Snoek played an important role for two consecutive owners when they expanded the park to its current size. His name can also be attached to specific parts of the layout. Some of his work is still visible today, even after the creation of a racecourse (for horses) on this site in the early twentieth century.

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Mixed avenue at Elswout

Another mixed avenue planted with evergreens and deciduous trees has surfaced, now at Elswout. This is, after Beeckestijn, the second design by J.G. Michael where such an avenue an be found. Coincidence?

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Summary

Another mixed avenue planted with evergreens and deciduous trees has surfaced, now at Elswout. This is, after Beeckestijn, the second design by J.G. Michael where such an avenue an be found. Coincidence?

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19th century renovations at Saint-Cloud

Statues dated 1866 made me think about how that section of the gardens at Saint-Cloud related to the 1870 destruction of the castle by fire. It must have been an early renovation of the Le Notre layout.

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Summary

Statues dated 1866 made me think about how that section of the gardens at Saint-Cloud related to the 1870 destruction of the castle by fire. It must have been an early renovation of the Le Notre layout.

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Zochers probably did not design Keukenhof beech avenue

Father and son Zocher are often mentioned as designers of the beech avenue at Keukenhof. An analysis of their rejected design (by lack of a preserved final one) casts some doubt on that assumption. They probably didn’t bother, or weren’t allowed to.

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Summary

Father and son Zocher are often mentioned as designers of the beech avenue at Keukenhof. An analysis of their rejected design (by lack of a preserved final one) casts some doubt on that assumption. They probably didn’t bother, or weren’t allowed to.

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Keukenhof ‘replaces’ 180 year old beeches

In an attempt to revitalize the layout and to ensure visitor safety, de Keukenhof is ‘replacing’ 180 year old beeches in an avenue. While they’re at it, they seem to create something de Keukenhof has never witnessed before. Or…

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Summary

In an attempt to revitalize the layout and to ensure visitor safety, de Keukenhof is ‘replacing’ 180 year old beeches in an avenue. While they’re at it, they seem to create something de Keukenhof has never witnessed before. Or…

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A curious avenue of mixed evergreens

The description of Powerscourt in Ireland by its owner turns out to be a vital source of information for anyone interested in how (the garden of) a late 19th century estate was created over a period of decades. Mervyn E. Wingfield mentions many names of gardeners, sculptors, companies that sell…

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