The Gardens of Hougoumont Project
Restore, Share, Revive
A place of history transformed into a space for the future
The Hougoumont site is one of the key locations of the Battle of Waterloo (1815), but it is also an 18th-century refined and well-structured agricultural estate. Before being ravaged by the fighting, it consisted of:
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A manor house and agricultural buildings,
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A chapel,
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A French formal garden,
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A vegetable garden,
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And three carefully enclosed orchards.
During the battle, this site was the scene of a decisive and extremely violent confrontation: more than 15,000 soldiers fought in a confined space, and about 5,000 of them were killed or wounded. After the fighting, the gardens and orchards disappeared and were never restored.
Today, this project aims to bring these lost spaces back to life, transforming them into a living place of memory, nature, education, and peace.
The concrete objectives of the project
1. Recreate the historic gardens
Under the direction of the renowned landscape architect François Goffinet, the project includes:
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The reconstruction of the French formal garden, with its symmetrical and aesthetic patterns.
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The restoration of the historic vegetable garden, to revive 18th-century cultivation techniques.
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The replanting of the large orchard, an emblematic site of the battles, respecting its original symmetrical layout.
2. Create an educational and ecological biosphere
A unique space designed to:
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Welcome schools, families, and social and scientific organizations.
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Offer educational workshops on biodiversity, gardening, history, memory, and climate.
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Serve as a living laboratory for both ancient and new plant species.
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Invite pioneering breeders to experiment with sustainable, climate-resilient crops.
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The visitor experience will combine history, ecology, emotion, and knowledge-sharing.
3. Encourage citizen and community participation
The project includes:
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Partnerships with horticultural schools, universities, and charitable organizations.
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Inclusive initiatives involving vulnerable or marginalized communities.
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Rigorous governance through the King Baudouin Foundation to ensure the transparent use of funds.
A mission of remembrance and peace
Recreating the gardens of Hougoumont is not just about rebuilding a historical setting. It means:
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Transforming a former battlefield into a place of learning and reconciliation.
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Offering new generations a space to reflect on the past while building a more sustainable future.
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Creating a dialogue between nature and culture, war and peace, heritage and innovation.