Courtly Gardens in Holland - The House of Orange and the Hortus Batavus

The foundation of Dutch horticulture lies in the Westland. Prince Frederik Hendrik and Amalia van Solms, and their Stadholder's garden at Honselaarsdijk House, were main promoters in the early seventeenth century. 

The largest of all the country estates was Honselaarsdijk House with its huge garden complex of hundreds of hectares. At the heart of the property was the mighty castle of the Van Naaldwijks. Through succession, the possessions of the Van Naaldwijks had come into the hands of the noble Van Arenberg family. This noble family remained loyal to the King of Spain during the 80-year war, so their possessions were confiscated by the States of Holland. The castle of Honselersdijk was then given on loan to Prince Maurits for another period.

During the twelve-year truce in the 80-year war (1609-1621), the noble Van Arenberg family regained their possessions. The 12-year truce was a period when the Republic tried to make peace with Spain. As a goodwill gesture, the properties that had been confiscated were returned to the nobility that had remained loyal to the Spanish king. However, the Van Arenbergs had retreated to the Southern Netherlands and therefore decided to sell all their possessions in the Northern Netherlands. In 1612, all the Westland possessions of the Van Arenbergs were sold to Frederick Henry of Orange-Nassau.