Tour Marche Arboretum, a new 'museum' of plants in Belgium

Plants are among Philippe de Spoelberch’s biggest passions. The Belgian businessman and dendrologist has a professional background in brewing but is now mostly dedicated to his lifetime fascination with trees – not only by stretching his own green fingers but also by being active in the scientific field of botany. His latest project is Belgium’s newest plant ‘museum’ in Marche-en-Famenne, in the region of Wallonia. The site, which has been many years in the making, includes a new visitor centre by local studio AW Architectes and has just opened to the public.

Take the tour of Marche Arboretum

Marche-en-Famenne is the second scheme of its kind initiated by de Spoelberch, who started informally planting trees in his family estate in Wespelaar, Flanders in 1966. An extension to an initial ten hectares in 1986 allowed him to further his collection. The entire 20-hectare extension was donated in 2003 to a dedicated foundation, the Stichting Arboretum Wespelaar.

The arboretum is now managed by executive director Dr Koen Camelbeke, under the supervision of the board of directors headed by chairman Guy de Broqueville. Blending trees collected during travels (by the team and external contributors), with purchases and gifts by major botanical gardens across the globe, Wespelaar thrived and by 2020 reached capacity. Now the foundation intends to repeat its success in the new, 76-hectare site.

‘We were lucky to find an exceptional site on a rare limestone formation that complements the collections of more acid loam of Wespelaar. Poor soils allow for rich meadows. Ten of Belgium’s native orchids were found on the site. Meadows have been sown with seed from sites of Natagora [a nature conservation NGO]. Fifteen hectares of the 76 have been fenced to keep wild boar out of the more precious areas and the visitor centre. Roe deer and beavers do find a way in!’ de Spoelberch says.

An invited competition between three architecture studios led to the selection of the winning team headed by Gauthier Wislez. The practice designed the visitor centre to contain the curator’s accommodation, a small auditorium, a café, a glasshouse, offices, and service areas for the gardening and maintenance staff. Its accessible green roof, semi-buried in nature, clever geometry and orientation mean it’s near-invisible from several angles, allowing nature to take centre stage.

‘I wanted the architecture to be contemporary, but also responsive to its site and function,’ Wislez says. Sustainable architecture strategies such as a ground source heat pump system, energy recovery ventilation, high-performance insulation and solar panels help the limestone-clad concrete building be sensitive to its context. The site was perfected with the help of landscape architect and head gardener at Arboretum Wespelaar, Christophe Crock, who worked on the parking lot, building the access route, roof and surrounding environment.

Water from a well on site is used in the building and for irrigation, while rainwater is stored in reservoirs for the drier months. Local stone artisans helped create the building’s façade and farmers from the region are engaged in subcontracted upkeep throughout the year (some of its meadows are naturally maintained by local sheep and donkeys).

De Spoelberch’s vision for Marche springs from a respect and deep interest in nature. ‘I don’t want this to become a “Disneyland”, but rather a key scientific tool for botany,’ he explains. Introduced plants are labelled throughout, native species are studied and managed, and doors open one Sunday per month from April to October, and for specialised groups by appointment.

More than a tourist attraction, the arboretum was designed as a place for experimentation and study. Still, it is early days for Marche Arboretum. ‘It takes a while for something like this to grow. Many trees are still young and it might only be of real scientific interest in 20 years,’ de Spoelberch says, adding that he intends to keep adding species and trying new things. ‘[But even as a work in progress], it feels very natural. It is definitely worth a visit.’

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