DRIVE WAY

Birch Parkway; 2020

Over the years the trees of the parkway one after the other became weak and started to dy. At a certain point, when it was evident that all the remaining trees have to be cut, because of the danger to fall on to the street one day or the other , it was decided to do a total face lifting of the parkway.

For all new plantings, which are ongoing on the property the owners guideline is going in the direction, that most parts of a plant should be of use somehow, apart of the plants beauty itself. Trough modern live we lost the knowledge of the benefits, we can find just around us. The new planting should stand for new awareness , what are plants.

“Our earliest human ancestors found plants to heal wounds, cure diseases, and ease troubled minds”

Therefore the guideline was to find plants that would satisfy the owners esthetic ideas, combined with the benefits, these plants should have.

Evergreen was eliminated quite in the beginning, being too striking. The parkway should more pleasantly guide to the house.

The final decision fell for Betulla utilis ”Doorenbos” alternately planted Rosa rugosa “Blanc Double de Coubert”, which is some years will grow to large shrubs and take their place in between of the trees.

In summer the white flower pedals of the Roses will be a perfectl match with the white bark of the Birch trees and in autumn the red fruits of the Roses will be in harmony with the changing color of the Birch leaves into yellow-beige-orange. The healing properties of Betula bark and bark extracts, as of Betula leaves have been known for a long time in traditional medicine in different parts of the world. The health benefits of Rosa rugosa are coming from the flower pedals, as from the big, red fruits, the plant is forming in autumn.