Frederiksoord Horticultural School

On August 1, 1881, the twenty-year-old Gerard Adriaan van Swieten passed away in The Hague, son of the former major of cavalry Frederic Henri Louis van Swieten and Anna Elisabeth Groesbeek. His father, who lived in Delft and was a widower, decided to bequeath his fortune to a philanthropic cause while he was still alive. He chose the Society of Benevolence. The condition he set was that his son's name would be associated with a school to be established by the Society of Benevolence. He was in favor of founding a school focused on agricultural and horticultural education.

Building of the former Gerard Adriaan van Swieten Horticultural School on Koningin Wilhelminalaan in Frederiksoord

With the help of this contribution, the Society of Benevolence was able to establish the Gerard Adriaan van Swieten Horticultural School in 1884. This horticultural school was housed in a building on a lane that was named after the donor, the Major van Swietenlaan. The first director was Arthur Carolus Ide, son of the director of the horticultural school in Ruiselede, Belgium, Carolus Ide. According to Van Swieten, this school was meant to serve as a model for the school in Frederiksoord. In 1887 a second school was established on Koningin Wilhelminalaan, which was intended for forestry education and also served as the director's residence. After the cessation of state funding in 1902 for this part of agricultural education, the building became the headquarters of the Society of Benevolence. The Society decided in 1975 to move the headquarters to the nearby Huis Westerbeek.

The oldest horticultural school in the Netherlands was founded in 1884 by the Society of Benevolence and made possible by donations from the former military F.H.C. van Swieten. The school was named Gerard Adriaan van Swieten Horticultural School in memory of the benefactor's son who passed away at the age of 21.

Practical education was central to the school, and the initial goal was to provide a solid vocational training for the sons of those placed in the Society of Benevolence's colonies. Horticultural schools were initially only accessible to boys. The first horticultural school for girls opened in 1907 in Rijswijk (South Holland).

Students were trained to become fruit growers, gardeners, florists, and landscape architects. The school closed in 2005 due to a merger, and education was then moved to an agricultural training center (AOC) in Meppel.

The entire region was involved with the horticultural school, not only because the students boarded in the village, but in 1890 a Floralia association was also established. Cuttings, seeds, and plants were distributed free of charge to residents to be cultivated for an exhibition that took place annually in the school garden. The later flower parade Frederiksoord evolved from this.

This oldest horticultural school garden in the Netherlands is seven hectares large; it is a so-called variety garden, meaning a garden with many species. Here, you can find over 400 different types of trees and shrubs. In a variety garden, the emphasis is not so much on beds and/or seasons but primarily on the educational aspect. The goal is to provide the opportunity to gain extensive species knowledge. Therefore, the area is logically and clearly divided into different sections. The strict lines that characterize the roads and layouts in the Colonies of Benevolence were also followed.

In the arboretum, most deciduous trees can be found, with species from around the world. Here, for example, is a collection of different species of ash, chestnut, and oak trees. The catkin-bearing trees form the 'Catkin Avenue', allowing for comparisons of the flowering of various species within the willow family and with, for instance, the catkins of the birch.

The pines and other conifers are located in the pinetum. There stands a monumental sequoia and about eighty other species of conifers. Other sections include a stinsen forest, a pear avenue, a nursery, beds with perennials, wildflowers, and herbs.

Knowledge of taxonomy and nomenclature was an important guideline in the creation of the gardens - they were intended to help build a broad knowledge of species. The school was therefore also known for its extensive plant knowledge.

Not only learning about species, growth, flowering, soil, etc. was important. Practical education was also essential for future fruit growers, cultivators, florists, and landscape architects to master the profession.

The students learned everything from drawing a design to installation and maintenance. Under the guidance of horticultural teachers, they received solid practical training and learned to dig, sow, cultivate, grow, harvest, prune, graft, etc. This led to the gardens being very well maintained, attracting thousands of visitors. Various greenhouse complexes were established on the grounds. As of 2021, the gardens are in a state of wild overgrowth, and the goal for the future is to create a more low-maintenance garden.

Alongside a variety garden, various theme gardens have historically been developed. Each director left their mark on these developments. In addition to functional gardens for flower, vegetable, and fruit cultivation, landscape gardens have also been created since the beginning. As early as 1893, a French garden was established in the style of André le Nôtre by the first director of the school, A.C. Ide. Characteristic are the strict geometric lines and the pond in the center. Also, the Pear Avenue was laid out in 1884, which is the oldest pear path in the Netherlands. Of the 100 trees in the avenue, several still date back to the time of its establishment. There is also an English garden, featuring a large lawn surrounded by borders, shrubs, and trees. A rock garden was realized in 1908. This garden later made way for the forest with stinsen plants. There is also a peat pit.

The gardens fell into severe disrepair after the school closed in 2005. In 2020, the 'Foundation Horticultural School Garden Frederiksoord' was established to advocate for preservation. The goal is to sustainably restore, maintain, and reopen the gardens to the public. Additionally, cultural and artistic projects are being realized in the gardens. In the old main building of the school, a group of artists has their studio. Innovative, circular organizations and companies are active in the school building and the greenhouses. There is also a food garden. Dozens of volunteers, including a 'vegetable team' made up of former teachers from the school, are working to restore and renew the neglected gardens.

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