Axel and May Vervoordt's new prairie garden was based off their love of abstract expressionist paintings, and was featured in this month's Vogue, July 2015 photographed by Jean-Pierre Gabriel. Living in California in the middle of a drought I have been craving anything green with color. The colors in the Vervoordt's garden are windswept and lush, changing with the seasons, perfect for cuttings for the home. The 12th century castle sits on a 62 acre park with ponds, a canal, and gardens designed by the famous Belgian designer Jacques Wirtz. It's just beautiful.
"Since we travel so much, our favorite vacation is simply to stay at
home. We spend as much time in the garden as possible eating all
meals out there, to take advantage of the changing light. Even
when it rains we sit in the greenhouse."
home. We spend as much time in the garden as possible eating all
meals out there, to take advantage of the changing light. Even
when it rains we sit in the greenhouse."
-Axel Vervoordt
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| Along side of the orangery heleniums, achilleas, and echinacea are just a few of over 750 species of plants that grow here. |
"Traditionally a prairie would be dominated by a variety of
grasses, May and I chose the perennial plants and flowers we love
that look natural and wild, and classified them by color,
fading from yellow to orange, red, purple, and blue."
grasses, May and I chose the perennial plants and flowers we love
that look natural and wild, and classified them by color,
fading from yellow to orange, red, purple, and blue."
- Axel Vervoordt
Painter Piet Raemdonck's prairie garden plan in mixed-media. This would be lovely hung on a potting room's wall.
Once the castle's stables, now used for private dinners, the canal divides the large building from an organic potager, the inspiration for May's 2012 cookbook At Home with May and Axel Vervoordt.
Remnants of the past garden, the formal clipped boxwood gives visual structure to the wild prairie plants.
The tower of Kasteel van's-Gravenwezel
"In the past, I was always frustrated with the garden
when things were not right.
But since we have the prairie garden, I'm much more relaxed"
when things were not right.
But since we have the prairie garden, I'm much more relaxed"
"We are not trying to rule nature;
we are letting nature be the boss."
we are letting nature be the boss."
-Axel Vervoordt
An arbor deliciously covered in wisteria and passion flowers for en plein air dining.
To see the entire article visit: www.vogue.com
