The Ada Hofman botanic aquatic garden

The Garden

Ada Hofman’s beautiful aquatic garden landscape can be found near the town of Enschede in the Netherlands. The approximately two-hectare garden was created as a commercial show garden in 1987 and opened to the public in 1988. Approximately 30 gardens with 50 ponds are arranged around 3 large natural ponds. Together, they form a large botanical aquatic garden. Ada Hofman has set herself the aim of informing visitors about everything to do with the construction and care of ornamental ponds. Her particular speciality is keeping the pond water clear using biological methods, i.e. without chemicals or filters. She provides proof of the validity of this approach in her aquatic garden in around 50 ponds, the volume of water of which ranges from 420 litres to 3,000,000 litres.

By studying nature closely, Ada Hofmann has discovered that certain aquatic plants are particularly suitable for use in artificial ponds. She mentions above all shining pondweed (potamogeton lucens), which produces large amounts of oxygen with its large leaves and has a high turnover of nutrients. Furthermore, the plant produces a natural “braking substance” which also hinders the growth of algae. Numerous small animals were introduced into the ponds and the garden itself. These include grass snakes, frogs, slow worms, various types of fish, salamanders and lizards. The garden is also popular with birds and even the rare kingfisher is a regular guest. The birds are joined by butterflies in summer and autumn. Last year, no fewer than 22 different species of diurnal butterfly were counted here.

The Asian-style roof garden with its pond is also a unique feature. A 600 m2 roof garden has been laid out at a height of 3 metres on top of Ada Hofman’s private apartment. From here, visitors have a wonderful view over the garden and the private pond, which was constructed in 1994. There are two bronze sculptures of Ada Hofman in the private pond, which is not, unfortunately, accessible to visitors. The sculptures were created by Marcus Ravenswaay, an artist from Hoogblokland. One of the theme gardens features a pond with medicinal plants. It is not just aquatic plants of medical significance which grow there - the beds surrounding the pond are also planted with traditional medicinal plants.

The variety of colours in the water-lily pond ranges from white to yellow and pink to intense red. One pond was created which features grasses only. Visitors are delighted not only by their impressive flowers, but also by their delicate seed heads and beautifully structured leaves. Ada Hofman has also succeeded in assembling one of the largest collections of plants, shrubs and trees in the Netherlands in her garden. During the course of the garden year, the botanical aquatic landscape of the show garden presents a changing spectacle of visual and acoustic impressions from spring to autumn.

From April to May:
Sea of blossoms from bulbs and spring plants

May to mid-June:
Water frog concert from thousands of water frogs

Beginning to end of May:
Start of flowering of water-lilies (70 kinds)

From July to October:
Butterfly time, flowering non-native plants

From April to November:
Exhibition of watercolours by the well-known artist Geke Dijkhuis and by Ada Hofman

Ada Hofman has also made a name for herself as the author of various specialist books on pond flora.