Every year, on the second weekend of September the gardens are open to the public. Specialist nurseries, many holding national collections, put their best products for sale. At the same time the public can attend exhibitions, demonstrations and lectures by professionals from Belgium and abroad on the most interesting subjects.
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS : • discover many varieties, new to the ‘Prince Bishop’s kitchen garden’ and scattered throughout the gardens • Espaliers : use, practice, and flavour, by Natuurlijk/Wim Collet • flavour and taste, by chef Maarten Van Essche and Sanguisorba/Bart Belmans HISTORIC GARDENING TOOLS AND WATER MILL The Hex collection of historic gardening tools comprises around a thousand items, dating from the 19th and 20th century. In addition to general agricultural and horticultural use, many pieces were specifically designed for use in fruit growing, and these are exceptional in Europe, and unique in Limburg, through their connection with the typical Haspengouw fruit growing system. An inventory of the entire collection is gradually being made, and each year the items most recently catalogued are exhibited during the Hex Festival in September. This year, in addition, a collection of historic pruning shears from the collection of LENS ROSES will be on show. Once the inventory is complete, the collection will be on permanent display in the listed water mill belonging to Heks (first mentioned in 1282, with the present building from the 17th/18th century). The mill was unique due to its dual purpose : milling cereal on the one hand, and pumping water uphill to the castle on the other. A restoration project is underway for the mill, to restore its functions and to make it accessible to the public. Exceptionally, to mark European Open Monument Day, on Sunday September 12th, the mill will be open to the public (10-17h free entry), in cooperation with Heers Town Council, the Royal association of historic parks and gardens in Belgium and the Regional History Society of Greater Heers, which will be responsible for providing information about the mill. Visitors to the mill will receive a voucher for a reduced entry fee to the Hex Garden Festival taking place during the same weekend. GUIDED TOURS • of the gardens, with guides of Hex • of the roses, with Rudy Velle/Lens roses (Du./Fr.)
AND... ALSO ... • Maintenance of garden utensils, demonstration by Bert Bruggeman/De Wiltfang, (Sat. –Sun. 11.30am/3pm) (Du - questions in Engl. possible) • About bees, in the bee garden, by Bieenkorf (Du) Continuous : • Which pot or cloche to blanch vegetables? by Bart Belmans/Sanguisorba • Edible wood : growing mushrooms on logs, by Pip Gilmore/Groene Takken • Insect hotels from natural materials, with Rémy D’Andreis (FR) • Tree pruning and care, by Regionaal Landschap Haspengouw en Voeren (RLH) • Specialist nurseries offering individual collections of new and rare plants, • New and special plants from nurseries and breeders: the nurseryman’s choice • High-quality garden tools and ornaments • Cafés serving a selection of flower-inspired dishes.
FOR CHILDREN • Aromatic and medicinal plants and the flavour of espaliers, by Natuurlijk (Du/Fr/Germ.) • Flavours and tastes of plants and flowers, by chef Maarten Van Essche and Bart Belmans/Sanguisorba (Du/Fr) • Walks with Dora Stevens (Du) • About bees, in the bee garden, by Bieenkorf (Du) Continuous : • Edible wood : growing mushrooms on logs, by Pip Gilmore/Groene Takken • Insect hotels from natural material, with Rémy D’Andreis (Fr)
Also at HEX this year • PRUNING SESSIONS, Tuesday 12 October on roses : 10 - 12 am Daniel Schmitz (French) 2 - 4 pm Rudy Velle (Dutch) on espaliers : 10 – 12 am/2 – 4 pm Wim Collet (Dutch with explan. in German am/French pm) € 15 p.p. (/€ 30, lunch incl.), Information: gardens@hex.be or fax +32.(0)12.74 49 87 • GUIDED GROUP VISITS on work days, upon written request (min. 20/max 35 ps.) • HEX 2011 : FESTIVALS OF RARE PLANTS, ROSES AND KITCHEN GARDENS Recycling animal and garden waste into good compost 10 – 11 - 12 June 2011 • 10 - 11 September 2011
INFOS
non-members
members*
Admission
EURO
8.00
6.00
*Reduced rates for members of garden or botanical associations.
Dogs not admitted.
How to reach Hex Hex is situated in the village of Heks in the commune of Heers, in the south of the Belgian province of Limbourg, half-way between Liège and Maastricht (in the triangle Tongeren, Borgloon, Oreye) and is accessible via: 1. Highway E40, Brussels-Liège/Luik, exit 29 (Waremme/Tongres), direction Tongres/Tongeren; Heks is indicated on the old Roman way from Oreye to Tongeren. 2. Highway E313, Antwerp-Liège/Luik, exit 29 (Hasselt Oost/Kortessem) direction Tongeren, at Kortessem follow Borgloon, at Borgloon direction Heers; on the road to Heers, Heks is indicated.
