Gaia's Garden in Drenthe

Kireet writes about his first Gaia's Garden...

When I was six years old, my father died. Since that time, I was privileged to spend my school holidays with my grandparents in Blokker. My grandfather grew flowers and tulips for a seed company "Sluis & Groot" in Enkhuizen. The smell of the soil and the flowers of different kinds were ingrained in my soul. My grandfather taught me the first principles of gardening and it was such a pleasure to work together with him, while listening to his stories and sometimes songs. Some songs were not likened by my grandmother.

As soon as I had a garden of my own in 1974, I started to grow vegetables, fruit trees and all kinds of flowers. Somehow I was a plant freak, discovering old vegetables and new kinds of flowers and herbs. Of course, the garden was organic and grew bigger and bigger. And then there was compost making and learning about Bio Dynamics. I tried different methods.     

The Mother's Symbol at the first Gaia's Garden in Holland. Mother's symbol was implemented in the middle of the garden with a newly dug pond on one side and lawns, herb and vegetable gardens on the other side. There was a fruit garden and a little forest where Francis, my youngest son, and I built a tree hut.

After 17 years in 1990 a big change happened: we moved from the West to the East of Holland to Drenthe, a beautiful part of Holland with many forests, meadows and lakes. We bought an old and neglected farmhouse on a hectare of land in the middle of meadows and surrounded by trees. Inside were aged old oak trees and fruit trees. It was called “ De Moerbei”. It was a traditional Drenthe farm house and there was also a huge agricultural barn. It was a lot of work to transform it. For my mother, who was going to live with us, I built a cottage next to the farm. On the other side I created my first yoga studio “Shanti”.

Then it was time to start creating the first Gaia’s Garden. I want to create a garden, which is unique. So In order to be original, I did not go to see other gardens while creating Gaia’s Garden. I always like to read garden books, and I am interested in plants. I tried to be intuitive and to follow my own way. In that time, I started to implement different kinds of grasses and bamboo in the gardens. After teaching children at school, gardening was the most refreshing work and restored me from my tired head. The garden was open to the public during the summer holidays.

Gaia's Garden the Name

The name of the garden came from the Mother Earth. She brings her powers every year. Yet the new year comes, an enormous diversity of the nature to the life voices the wonder and admiration. The gardener may go with this beautiful living materials, being thankful to this joy that was given to him....

Gaia's Garden Drenthe in Winter

Gaia's Garden Drenthe in Summer

Gaia's Garden Drenthe in Spring

Gaia's Garden Drenthe in Autumn