Passchendaele Memorial Garden Belgium

The efforts made during the First World War are impressive for a small country like Belgium. In addition to the ten of thousands of Belgian military and civilian casualties, the war was huge social and economic consequences. This Belgian garden is a memorial of the suffering of the war, a tribute to the many Belgian victims of the First World War and a symbol of the message of peace that our country wants to spread.

As the poppy stands for the British and the cornflower for the French, the Belgian have their daisy. During the war, some Belgian soldiers joined this dried flower "from the banks of the Yser" to their letters. The central lawn in the garden is therefore dotted with an abundance of daisies, while the neighbouring plots contains plant species, Asteraceae, belonging to the same family. White rises also refer to the Belgian military cemeteries because they often represent a significant part of the planting, while the presence of the perennial yew originates from a centuries old-tradition. This small tree often adorns Belgian cemeteries and symbolizes both death and life.

The wok of art being integrated in the garden, is a creation of the artist-sculptor Rik Ryon, who mainly works with debris of war. Such remnants are frequently found during excavation or ploughing the land in the Westhoek. The actual work of art symbolizes the reconstruction and the desire for peace that Belgium is eager to achieve, not only during the horrific years of the war and post-war, but also up to this present day.

Absolutely striking is the incorporation of some Belgian military gravestones. These small gravestones, designed by Brussels architect Fernand Simons, have never been used for any military burials. In fact, they were reclaimed in Zonnebeke, during the inter-war period, in order to use them for civil graves. After the clearing, they were kept and integrated into the plinth containing messages of peace in the Belgian national languages. These messages are originating from the participatory project "Tag For Remembrance". Between July 1st end November 10th 2017, an individual peace message could be posted or left behind. A selection of the messages has, moreover, been embedded in the work of art.

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Source

• Text: Luc Van Waeyenberge
• Photos: Luc Van Waeyenberge
• Informatiebord Kasteeldomein Zonnebeke