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Passchendaele Memorial Garden France

The ‘Jardin de 100 ans’ refers to 100 years of peace in which nature was able to repossess land ravaged by war. While reconstruction work was underway in Flanders, large parts of the battlefields in France were left to nature.

On the wooded plot were this French memorial garden is located, the centennial evolution of nature is presented. The vegetation growing in freshly-turned earth to dense, rich forest vegetation.

Felled or fallen trees were left behind and undergrowth was planted. In the clearing, small fauna such as woodpeckers, insects and small mammals revive the forest.

"He didn’t care about the war at all
He had continued planting unperturbed
The man who planted trees" – Jean Giono

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Source

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