A Magical Garden for Magical People
Vlindertuin Ruigoord is a Permaculture & Art garden, a sanctuary for people who seek peace and who like to connect with nature.
The Vlindertuin (‘butterfly garden’) is located in the unusual artist village of Ruigoord, near Amsterdam. The garden provides a contrast with the surrounding industrial area. It’s a show-off of the wonders of nature, and my personal playground for connecting and co-creating with nature. I am developing the landscape in such a way that people feel embraced by it, while aiming at a maximum usable space on a relatively small area.
I experiment with food production in the spirit of permaculture, because I have found that growing and processing food provides a vital connection between our physical human body, and the nature that surrounds us. It gives me a lot of joy, and observing the natural processes provide me with design ideas along the way. The garden offers various organicly shaped benches, hideouts and a treehouse, where people can relax and watch the garden. Some of the consctructions involve ‘arborsculpture’, the technique of shaping (bending, grafting, guiding) living trees into a structure.
At our bar we serve delicious vegan cakes. In our little shop we sell products from the garden, and other herbal and crafts products. The bar and the shop are open during Ruigoord’s cultural events and festivals. These occasions are a great way to share the beauty with the public, and to make the space come alive.
