The garden is an indispensable part of a real castle! This garden has taken as many forms over the centuries as there have been garden trends.
What those gardens looked like? Unfortunately, we only know from the seventeenth century onward. Just look at the painting on the screen. Typical of that time: a "symmetrical" garden, with two equal halves, straight walkways and white marble statues at the intersections.
In the early nineteenth century, the Speelman family lived here and had a park-like garden laid out, with undulating lines, ponds and weeping willows. No spot was symmetrical. People thought that was beautiful - and very romantic. You can see the plan of the park garden on the screen.
When Baron André bought Castle Heeswijk in 1835, he had the little park turned into a straight garden again. This time with a garden wall that had to look old in the Dutch style of the sixteenth century, with layers of red and white stone and even fake embrasures in it. Against the sunny side of the wall grew fruit trees and bushes.
Over 100 years later, in 1949, Baron William and Baroness Albertine were allowed to live in the Coach House. Right next to the garden. It was rather neglected at the time, but fortunately the baron already had a design from the garden architect Copijn. And guess what? Copijn designed just such an 'Old Dutch garden' as in the seventeenth-century painting: equal on two sides, so symmetrical, with straight paths along lawns. And flower beds, for Albertine who loved to garden. Between the hedges are white statues. The Baron and Baroness often walked and sat here. And guests did not leave without a visit to the Copijn garden.
