Boskoop
Encyclopedia
Boskoop is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands
, in the province of South Holland
. The municipality had a population of 15,217 in 2008, and covers an area of 16.96 km² (6.55 mile²) of which 2.17 km² (0.84 mile²) is water. It's the world's biggest joined floriculture
area.
Boskoop is famous for its nurseries
, particularly woody plant and perennial nurseries, of which some 774 are situated on long stretches of land, divided by narrow canals. Before World War II
almost all transport was conducted using narrow boats. A few exceptionally high footbridges crossing some of the broader (main) canals remain from these days. Between the World Wars the transition was made from fruit culture to decorative garden plants and trees. As a source of technical knowledge about the art of growing decorative plants, Boskoop remains world renowned and unique.
The name "Boskoop" has been given to an apple cultivar (Belle de Boskoop
) which is widely distributed in the Low Countries, and to a grape variety (Boskoop Glory).
) of the Randstad
, spanning both sides of the river Gouwe between Alphen aan den Rijn
(to the north) and Waddinxveen
(to the south), both also along the river. The municipality is bordered in the east by Reeuwijk
and Bodegraven
, and in the west by Rijnwoude
. A vertical lift bridge in the centre of the village connects both shores of the Gouwe.
, in 1204. In 1222, the Abbey of Rijnsburg became owner of Boskoop. The Abbey decided to enlarge its tree and shrub inventory by making the farmers grow more trees than they would need for their own orchard
s. From the 15th to the 17th century more and more trees were produced and decorative plants were introduced. At the end of the 19th century, Boskoop began with the export of its products, Germany being its first client.
The history of Boskoop was greatly influenced by its location on top of a thick peat
layer. When the Abbey of Rijnsburg became owners of Boskoop, the harvesting of peat for fuel began. But unlike other towns in the "Green Heart" where extensive peat harvesting led to the formation of large ponds and lakes, Boskoop was too far from the major cities and peat harvesting was not profitable. Also the abbey did not permit the excavation of the peat layer on its lands. So Boskoop still has fertile soil for agriculture and horticulture.
An obstacle to the arboriculture
was the high groundwater
level, which was just below the surface at Boskoop. Many canals and ditches were dug to drain the rain waters, up to 2000 km at one point in its history. Consequently much transportation was done by means of these waterways. By introducing new drainage methods which lowered the groundwater level, many ditches could be filled again. Yet at the beginning of the 21st century, there are still many canals in Boskoop on which many nurseries rely for transportation. As a result, Boskoop is sometimes called "Small Giethoorn
". Nowadays, most plants are grown directly in pots, as opposed to open ground, and shipped to auction directly from the nursery.
Boskoop has been in financial straits for the last several years, in part because of the high cost of maintaining the constantly sinking roads. The possibility of merging with another municipality is being considered. The viability of the nursery industry in Boskoop is also at risk, as nursery production has switched to container production, as opposed to field growing. The small size of the nurseries, the inability to mechinize, government regulations, the high cost of land, and the high cost of labor have all increased the economic pressure on the Boskoop nursery industry.
, which is in the west part of town. Boskoop is connected to the RijnGouweLijn
, which runs from Alphen aan den Rijn
to Gouda
. Trains travel every thirty minutes in either direction. In peak hours, an additional two trains travel every hour in the directions of Gouda and Leiden.
Another historic building is the (now partially dismantled) Water Tower of Boskoop. It is located on the north-east side of the village on the same road crossing the lift bridge.
Near the train station is an extensive rose garden (rosarium), with free access and open the whole year. More than 160 types of roses are exhibited here together with numerous other shrubs, trees, and plants.
In view of its history, it is not surprising Boskoop has a nursery museum (http://www.boomkwekerijmuseum.nl). It is located in an old nursery residence from 1870. Behind the museum is another rose garden with rose varieties from the 17th to the 20th century.
From spring to fall, boat tours are organized through the many canals of Boskoop, which tour along the nurseries and nature areas and provide information about the history and surroundings of Boskoop. And once per year, a nursery canoe tour is organized.
Mr. J. (Coos) Rijsdijk (Labour).
Aldermen and Town Council as of March 2006.
Aldermen:
Mr. J.A. (Han) de Jager (Christian Democrats).
Ms. A.C. (Corrie) Oosterwijk (Labour).
Mr. J.G. (Gertjan) Schotanus (Christian Union).
Town Council
Christian Democrats:
Mr. H. (Herman) Brouwer.
Mr. C.J. (Kees) Stolker.
Mr. W.J.C. (Wim) van der Hoek.
Mr. H. (Harm-Jan) Langelaar.
Mr. H.A.G. (Herman) Henkemans.
Liberals:
Mr. G.J. (Gert) Dazler.
Mr. M.E.P. (Marcel) Keulen.
Mr. R.C. (Robbert) Prins.
Labour:
Mr. E. (Ernst-Jan) Straver.
Mr. H.R. (Henk) Stellaart.
Mr. G.J. (Guus) te Wechel.
Christian Union / Reformed Party
Mr. S. (Siem) Bak.
Mr. H. (Henry) Slinger.
Mr. A.L. (Ton) van Nimwegen.
Greens
Mr. W. (Wout) Wegerif.
Ms. M.J. (Marijke) Kottenhagen.
Democrats 66
Ms. Th. J (Thea) de Langen.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, in the province of South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
. The municipality had a population of 15,217 in 2008, and covers an area of 16.96 km² (6.55 mile²) of which 2.17 km² (0.84 mile²) is water. It's the world's biggest joined floriculture
Floriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
area.
Boskoop is famous for its nurseries
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
, particularly woody plant and perennial nurseries, of which some 774 are situated on long stretches of land, divided by narrow canals. Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
almost all transport was conducted using narrow boats. A few exceptionally high footbridges crossing some of the broader (main) canals remain from these days. Between the World Wars the transition was made from fruit culture to decorative garden plants and trees. As a source of technical knowledge about the art of growing decorative plants, Boskoop remains world renowned and unique.
The name "Boskoop" has been given to an apple cultivar (Belle de Boskoop
Belle de Boskoop (apple)
The Belle de Boskoop is a variety of apple which, as its name suggests, originated in Boskoop, Holland where it began as a chance seedling in 1856.There are many variants: Boskoop red, yellow or green....
) which is widely distributed in the Low Countries, and to a grape variety (Boskoop Glory).
Geography
Boskoop is located in the Green Heart (nl: Groene HartGroene Hart
The Groene Hart is a relatively thinly populated area in the Dutch Randstad. The major Dutch cities of Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Utrecht lie around this area...
) of the Randstad
Randstad
Image:Randstad_with_scale.png|400px|thumb|right|Clickable schematic map of the Randstadcircle 528 380 26 Schipholrect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeerrect 399 166 479 245 Velsencircle 250 716 32 Delftcircle 220 642 60 The Hague...
, spanning both sides of the river Gouwe between Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
(to the north) and Waddinxveen
Waddinxveen
Waddinxveen is a town and municipality along the Gouwe river in the western Netherlands in the province of South Holland near Gouda. The municipality had a population of 26,304 in 2004, 25.328 on new year's eve of 2010. and covers an area of 29.39 km² .In Waddinxveen, there's the so-called...
(to the south), both also along the river. The municipality is bordered in the east by Reeuwijk
Reeuwijk
Reeuwijk is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 50.11 km²...
and Bodegraven
Bodegraven
Bodegraven is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 38.50 km² of which 1.02 km² is water....
, and in the west by Rijnwoude
Rijnwoude
Rijnwoude is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 57.85 km² of which 1.17 km² is water....
. A vertical lift bridge in the centre of the village connects both shores of the Gouwe.
History
It is assumed that Boskoop originated from the settlement Ten Bussche, founded by William I, Count of HollandWilliam I, Count of Holland
William I , Count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.-Life:...
, in 1204. In 1222, the Abbey of Rijnsburg became owner of Boskoop. The Abbey decided to enlarge its tree and shrub inventory by making the farmers grow more trees than they would need for their own orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s. From the 15th to the 17th century more and more trees were produced and decorative plants were introduced. At the end of the 19th century, Boskoop began with the export of its products, Germany being its first client.
The history of Boskoop was greatly influenced by its location on top of a thick peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
layer. When the Abbey of Rijnsburg became owners of Boskoop, the harvesting of peat for fuel began. But unlike other towns in the "Green Heart" where extensive peat harvesting led to the formation of large ponds and lakes, Boskoop was too far from the major cities and peat harvesting was not profitable. Also the abbey did not permit the excavation of the peat layer on its lands. So Boskoop still has fertile soil for agriculture and horticulture.
An obstacle to the arboriculture
Arboriculture
Arboriculture is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants. It is both a practice and a science....
was the high groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
level, which was just below the surface at Boskoop. Many canals and ditches were dug to drain the rain waters, up to 2000 km at one point in its history. Consequently much transportation was done by means of these waterways. By introducing new drainage methods which lowered the groundwater level, many ditches could be filled again. Yet at the beginning of the 21st century, there are still many canals in Boskoop on which many nurseries rely for transportation. As a result, Boskoop is sometimes called "Small Giethoorn
Giethoorn
Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk....
". Nowadays, most plants are grown directly in pots, as opposed to open ground, and shipped to auction directly from the nursery.
Boskoop has been in financial straits for the last several years, in part because of the high cost of maintaining the constantly sinking roads. The possibility of merging with another municipality is being considered. The viability of the nursery industry in Boskoop is also at risk, as nursery production has switched to container production, as opposed to field growing. The small size of the nurseries, the inability to mechinize, government regulations, the high cost of land, and the high cost of labor have all increased the economic pressure on the Boskoop nursery industry.
Transportation
Boskoop is served by Boskoop railway stationBoskoop railway station
The Boskoop railway station is a railway station in Boskoop, the Netherlands, located on the RijnGouweLijn between Gouda and Alphen aan den Rijn...
, which is in the west part of town. Boskoop is connected to the RijnGouweLijn
RijnGouweLijn
The RijnGouweLijn or RGL is originally a plan for a light rail project in South Holland, Netherlands, with partly new rail tracks and partly using existing rail tracks of the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway and the Woerden–Leiden railway....
, which runs from Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
to Gouda
Gouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
. Trains travel every thirty minutes in either direction. In peak hours, an additional two trains travel every hour in the directions of Gouda and Leiden.
Attractions
The vertical lift bridge at Boskoop is one of three similar bridges over the Gouwe, the other two are in Alphen aan den Rijn and Waddinxveen. Because of its central location, the bridge characterizes the village skyline. A new bicycle path was added to the bridge during its renovation at the beginning of the 1990s.Another historic building is the (now partially dismantled) Water Tower of Boskoop. It is located on the north-east side of the village on the same road crossing the lift bridge.
Near the train station is an extensive rose garden (rosarium), with free access and open the whole year. More than 160 types of roses are exhibited here together with numerous other shrubs, trees, and plants.
In view of its history, it is not surprising Boskoop has a nursery museum (http://www.boomkwekerijmuseum.nl). It is located in an old nursery residence from 1870. Behind the museum is another rose garden with rose varieties from the 17th to the 20th century.
From spring to fall, boat tours are organized through the many canals of Boskoop, which tour along the nurseries and nature areas and provide information about the history and surroundings of Boskoop. And once per year, a nursery canoe tour is organized.
Politics
Mayor:Mr. J. (Coos) Rijsdijk (Labour).
Aldermen and Town Council as of March 2006.
Aldermen:
Mr. J.A. (Han) de Jager (Christian Democrats).
Ms. A.C. (Corrie) Oosterwijk (Labour).
Mr. J.G. (Gertjan) Schotanus (Christian Union).
Town Council
Christian Democrats:
Mr. H. (Herman) Brouwer.
Mr. C.J. (Kees) Stolker.
Mr. W.J.C. (Wim) van der Hoek.
Mr. H. (Harm-Jan) Langelaar.
Mr. H.A.G. (Herman) Henkemans.
Liberals:
Mr. G.J. (Gert) Dazler.
Mr. M.E.P. (Marcel) Keulen.
Mr. R.C. (Robbert) Prins.
Labour:
Mr. E. (Ernst-Jan) Straver.
Mr. H.R. (Henk) Stellaart.
Mr. G.J. (Guus) te Wechel.
Christian Union / Reformed Party
Mr. S. (Siem) Bak.
Mr. H. (Henry) Slinger.
Mr. A.L. (Ton) van Nimwegen.
Greens
Mr. W. (Wout) Wegerif.
Ms. M.J. (Marijke) Kottenhagen.
Democrats 66
Ms. Th. J (Thea) de Langen.