Sequoia or giant tree

Leonard du Bus de Gisignies transformed part of the estate into an English garden with ponds in 1834. “As a result, the park is home to many unique, beautiful, and ancient plants and trees: weeping and fern beeches, a lily of the valley tree, a tulip tree, a maple, and even three sequoias or mammoth trees that were planted in the 19th century. The lord of the castle enjoyed traveling and had these exotics brought to his estate.”

Behind the castle stands the second largest mammoth tree in Flanders. “At the last measurement in 2017, it had a circumference of 6.15 meters and a height of 41.35 meters. It has been protected since 2010. These trees can live for centuries and can become much wider than this.” Here and there, we still see fallen trees that were victims of the tornado that swept through Oostmalle in 1967, and then through the Dutch Tricht and Chaam. “The estate is a dream for lovers of trees, birds, and mushrooms. Due to the unique tree species, you can also find rare mushrooms here in the autumn. That’s the beauty of this reserve: each season is experienced differently and you see beautiful things.”

GVA - Gazet van Antwerpen