Kasteeltuinen Arcen is a beautiful garden complex in a castle in The Netherlands. It is on a 32-acre property in the charming town of Arcen, tucked between the Meuse river and the German border. Experience history, explore a range of distinctive gardens built around a historic country seat with a castle from the 17th century, and stimulate your senses.
1. Kasteeltuinen Arcen: Gardens at Arcen Castle
The Arcen Castle Gardens (Kasteeltuinen Arcen) include a variety of gardens, pond settings, and waterfalls for visitors to enjoy. Niek Roozen, a Dutch garden architect, created the garden park at the end of the 1980s, and Prince Bernhard inaugurated it on May 21, 1988. The park benches offer several lovely views of the gardens.
2. What is interesting in Kasteeltuinen Arcen?
Rosarium in Baroque style
A stone bridge connects the Baroque rosarium’s more than 8000 rosebushes and 250 rose species to the castle island. A traditional partition of sixteen equal rectangles existed in the original garden. During the park’s rehabilitation, ten of these areas—each of which adopts a distinct theme—were reinstalled as various rose gardens.
Along with the roses, perennials and shrubs flourish in this area. A Baroque pond with a waterfall was built in place of the remaining spaces. A wide, shady pergola encircles the rosarium (berceau).
The sculpture and water garden
Contemporary art is featured in the water and sculpture park, distinguished by its aquatic landscape and other decorative items. Between gently sloping grassy slopes, there are seven ponds of various depths. The ponds serve as natural mirrors that reflect the sky, large objects of art, and majestic trees. The structure of the gardens is determined by specific clumps of trees and bushes. For aficionados, a unique assortment of trees and plants was planted here.
Lommerreich
The word “Lommerreich” means “shadow realm.” Here, under the shadow of unique species of trees, a wide variety of shade-loving plants, as well as bigger groups of Astilbe, daylilies, lungwort, and numerous floral bulbs, flourish. The unique ambiance of this garden area, with its stream and waterfalls, mesmerizes visitors.
The mountain garden
Throughout the year, the shrubs and trees in the mountain garden change, giving visitors the impression that they are in the Eifel or the Ardennes. A challenging, crazy golf course is surrounded by cliffs, waterfalls, and caverns. Along the route, tourists can hear gurgling streams and witness breathtaking elevation changes.
Casa Verde’s garden
Mediterranean plants make up an astonishing portion of the tropical Casa Verde’s garden. Casa Verde is Spanish for “Green House.” Visitors can find banana plants, bird-of-paradise flowers, palm trees, and incredibly uncommon tree ferns in this greenhouse, which has a unique structure.
There are other trees and shrubs native to the Mediterranean region that flourish here, including olive trees, cork oaks, holm oaks, strawberry trees, milkwort, myrtle, and jujube. A century-old fig tree is the most striking tree. Tall yuccas, cordylines, cactus, and succulents grow in the drier regions of the planet. The huge koi carp pond is outfitted with the most recent pond and filter technologies.
The patio gardens, which have a unique ambiance, were initially built as model gardens to inspire tourists to create their gardens. These eerie gardens were based on the little Chinese garden. In the years that followed, a fresh idea for this field was created. One of these gardens is a Japanese garden with a view of a sizable pond that invites dreamy pleasure beneath the torii.
Amazing valley in Kasteeltuinen Arcen
Each of the garden areas in the valley, including the border garden with its perennials, the bamboo wood, the rock garden with its conifers, the Asian garden with its ponds, the miniature rice-field terraces (sawah), the typical Thai fishing hut, and the maple garden with its lovely maple trees, boasts a distinctive personality of its own.
The garden behind the castle
In the distance, behind the castle, is the lovely rhododendron garden. These evergreen shrubs flourish from mid-May onward, blossoming profusely under the light shadow of the ancient trees. The flowering season is a fleeting burst of color. The rest of the year, this garden exudes serenity and turns into a great spot for contemplation.
3. Is anything fun for kids in Kasteeltuinen Arcen?
There won’t be any boredom for kids. They can explore the grounds’ secret spots and learn interesting things about the castle and its gardens through a fantastic scavenger hunt. Children will love the challenging mini golf course in the Bergtuin (mountain garden), or you can take them to the nearby kids’ beach with its pulley raft.
The koi fish in the Casa Verde will eat from their hands, and they can see the animals in the Aaiweide (petting zoo). The park hosts a variety of extra events throughout the summer, including exhibitions, flower festivals, and more. View the full calendar of current events.
4. Attractions near Kasteeltuinen Arcen
De Maasduinen National Park
De Maasduinen National Park is only a bicycle ride away, situated between the Meuse River and the German Border. It’s ideal for a romantic hike or cycling tour, where you can take in the peace and quiet while surrounded by flora and fauna and learn about the Netherlands’ longest river valley.
Roermond
Want to see a castle and go shopping nearby at the same time? Visit Roermond, which is home to the largest designer outlet in the Benelux, or take a trip to Venlo to explore the city’s numerous historical structures.
Hertog Jan brewery
Would you like to get the most out of your trip to the charming town of Arcen? Plan your trip to the Hertog Jan brewery to learn about the intricate brewing process from a knowledgeable tour guide.
