The park
De gardens of De Haar castle are in part a reconstruction of the old gardens - with ornamental waters, groves, kitchen-gardens and aviaries - and in part an addition to the original layout. To enable repair and enlargement the neighbouring farm houses were purchased, pulled down, and reconstructed elsewhere. The Baron financed all this.
The design and layout of the gardens was not a simple matter at all. While reconstructing the old gardens, the characteristics of the surrounding landscape - a pasture area - had to be maintained. This complicated task was entrusted to Henri Copijn in 1895, and he managed to solve the problems in a skilful manner. In an open landscape arose an English landscape style park in which - around the castle - French baroque gardens were created.
The castle, surrounded by the baroque gardens, is situated in the Northern Park. Using scattered groups of trees, a 'natural' transition between park and polder land has been achieved. The Southern Park, now in use as a golf course, has a full landscape style layout. In the Netherlands this style became the fashion in the course of the nineteenth century, and it provides meandering paths, fanciful ponds, romantic views, and picturesque little bridges.
