Herb garden Herkenrode Abbey

Herb garden Herkenrode

On the Herkenrode abbey site, the 2-hectare herb garden, located next to the tithe barn, has been open since June 2006.

It would not be an abbey garden or a reproduction of it at Herkenrode. That was certain from the outset. A contemporary herb park. Exclusivity and originality, recreational and educational attractiveness for a varied audience from professionally interested people to simple day trippers would be the absolute assets. Central to this is the fascinating and intriguing story of the herbs and their use by humans of all times and cultures up to the present day.

The herb garden consists of two large parts: the hortus officinalis and the campus officinalis. In both parts of the garden there are about 225 different herbs and herbaceous plants, so 450 in total. The whole is surrounded by canals, which are bordered on the inside with a berm of grass cushions. From here, not only the beautiful garden, but also the impressive surroundings can be admired.

Never too old to learn

The hortus officinalis consists of twelve separate garden rooms, which are stylized representations of the varied Demer landscape. Through openings in a long, hornbeam-vaulted walkway of almost 200 meters, the visitor walks from room to room. Each room has its own distinctive structure with walking paths in clay shell lime, gravel or gravel lawn, natural stone or clinker. Water basins and fountains enhance the peaceful atmosphere. According to the alphabet, the families of medicinal plants are divided over the twelve rooms as in a book. At the edge of the garden rooms in the middle corridor, boxwoods were planted. Once fully grown, they will be pruned and then form beautiful, impressive massifs: a cube or column, a cone or beam, a sphere, ... They will help determine the identity and recognisability of each room.

Gardens to use

The second part of the garden consists of the campus officinalis, the utility gardens. Here the plants are always grouped according to use: paint herbs, vegetables, kitchen herbs, ...

Thinking about herbs

Information kiosks have been set up at the user gardens. They shed light on the historical background, make the link between herbs and religious thought and make us think about contemporary ideas related to herbs and well-being.

Chambres d'Hôtes Ecole de Vie