Hortus Haren

The Hortus at Haren was founded in 1626 as the botanical garden of the University of Groningen and moved to its present twenty-hectare site in the 1960s, with systematic beds, a rock garden, glasshouses and a large arboretum. Its unexpected element is Het Verborgen Rijk van Ming, the Hidden Empire of Ming: a Chinese garden opened in 1995 in the style of the classical scholar gardens of Suzhou, with a walled enclosure, pavilions, a moon gate, rockwork, water and covered walks, constructed with Chinese craftsmen and materials shipped in. The university withdrew funding in 2012 and the Hortus has been run since by a foundation on volunteer labour and donations, which has been precarious more than once.

Highlights

• A Ming-style scholar garden - walled, with pavilions, moon gate and rockwork.
• Built by Chinese craftsmen - materials shipped and assembled in the 1990s.
• A university garden from 1626 - systematic beds, arboretum and glasshouses.
• Volunteer-run since 2012 - after the university withdrew its funding.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Good to know

Seasonal opening with reduced winter hours. Funding has been precarious and opening arrangements have changed - check before travelling. The Chinese garden needs maintenance it does not always get.

Nearby

Groningen is eight kilometres north; the Drenthe hunebedden are south.

Key facts