Veulen Castle Park

History & Current Condition

The Veulen castle grounds show remarkable continuity in area, structure, and composition since the first cadastral maps. Maps from 1871 (Dépot de la guerre) and 1904 (Institut Cartographique Militaire) confirm that only a few details, such as the figure-eight path in the eastern park, were modified over time.

By 1912, the de Donnea family's landholdings had expanded to 113 hectares. This expansion, under Fernand de Donnea (1867–1949), involved plots that in 1841 still belonged to local farmers and craftsmen, extending the estate to Veulenstraat. In preparation for the northern expansion, De Donnea himself made a precise survey of the existing trees in the eastern park in 1915; many of these are among the oldest trees on the estate. This sketch served as the basis for the undated design "Plan de la propriété appartenant à Monsieur le chevalier de Donnea Château de Fologne à Heers," drawn up by the landscape architect E. Galoppin. There is some confusion about Galoppin's exact identity, given the presence of several landscape architects and growers of the same name during that period.

Galoppin's design incorporates many original elements, such as the narrow southern moats, the eastern pond moat, and the straight driveway to the castle gate. The figure-eight path in the old eastern park was retained and expanded with curved walkways connecting new lawns, shrubbery, and solitary trees. The plan included colorful flowerbeds near the castle, while the choice of trees and plantings was largely left to the client's discretion, taking into account the wet and sometimes poor soil conditions of the site. Some plantings, such as the oaks at the new entrance, date from the Jannée estate, the parental domain of Fernand de Donnea's wife.

Today, the park is divided into three clearly distinct zones: the eastern park, the vegetable gardens west and south of the buildings, and the northern extension. The monumental solitary summer oak, with a trunk circumference of 444 cm, forms the visual and symbolic centerpiece of the park, while the oldest trees from the 1915 survey, such as the plane trees near the bridge and the eastern entrance alley, have been preserved. The eastern park on Kasteelstraat retains its early landscape character, with ponds, bridges, and iconic trees as focal points.

Of the original network of curved walkways from the Galoppin Plan, only the driveway has been fully preserved, with tree-lined edges that offer a broad view over the meadows and lawns. Other elements of the plan have been adapted: the northeast corner is now densely wooded, while an open view to the northwest frames the agricultural landscape. The northern moat, half preserved, is surrounded by lush vegetation, including Norway spruce and a yew hedge, while solitary hazel trees and remaining rose vines recall the former vegetable and flower gardens.

The park was also made future-proof in recent years: after the extremely hot summers of 2018 and 2019, damaged Norway spruce trees were replaced by sequoias, black pines, plane trees, sycamores, holm oaks, and hemlock.

The former rose garden on the north side of the castle has been given a new lease of life: a lush composition of roses and flower gardens where color, scent, and variety alternate throughout the seasons. Here, the focus is no longer on the unity of a single species, but on the harmony of many—a living symphony of blooms that envelops the castle in its splendor year-round.

These elements testify to the rich history of the castle park, a landscape that preserves the past in its structure while simultaneously offering a contemporary experience.

In 2005, an extensive article about the history of the park appeared in Monumenten en Landschap.