Langbroekerdijk

Around 1400 there were as many as 40 keep in the Kromme Rijn area southeast of Utrecht. The owners of these stone residential towers had received special permission from the bishop of Utrecht. They were often also given certain privileges and were often elevated to the peerage. All this on condition that in times of war they would remain loyal to the bishop and turn against the counts of Guelders and Holland.

A few of those towers remain. Three of them can be viewed up close on the Utrecht Garden Day 14 June. They are Walenburg, Lunenburg and Hindersteyn, all on the Langbroekerwetering and all surrounded by a beautiful garden.

The Hof van Walenburg is the best known. This garden, which was created in 1967 by the Canneman-Philipse couple (architect and landscape architect), has been managed by the Dutch Garden Foundation since 1987. The symmetrically arranged garden, which lies on an island between two canals, has a main axis in the extension of the tower and a transverse axis on which several garden rooms open.

The garden around Lunenburg Castle is more of a walking park. Two large ponds have been created here and spectacular views have been sought everywhere in the garden. Through the terrace of the residents one enters the Gray Garden, where in principle there are only white and gray plants (along the path there are mourners). And after the Vegetable Garden consisting of boxwood-lined herb beds and a lushly overgrown rose arbor, one reaches the Blue Garden (with blue lilac, hibiscus and columbine) on the Black water. Everywhere there are wooden gates with roses to window the views and via the Chinese bridge the walker enters the forest area, where ferns and hosta have been planted and including a 250-year-old redwood.

Hindersteyn also has a park-like layout. This garden is even younger than that of Lunenburg, which was created 20 years ago. A point of interest is the Snake Wall.

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