The Rubens Garden

The garden of the Rubenshuis is a hidden gem in the heart of Antwerp. This is where the world-famous artist lived and relaxed with his family and entourage. Here Rubens chatted with Isabella and later with Helena. This is also where he welcomed his guests and where his children played, enveloped in the potent fragrance of orange and lime trees.

Thanks to the colour consultancy of fashion designer Dries Van Noten, visitors can now enjoy 365 days of colour in this garden. The new design references the plants that would have grown in gardens in Rubens's day, such as tulips, snake's head fritillaries, and fig trees, with the portico and garden pavilion designed by Rubens providing a spectacular backdrop for 17,500 plants, trees, shrubs, and bulbs.

This book contains the results of the research that was conducted in the course of the restoration. It offers insight into hitherto unknown historical sources from archives and libraries and presents an overview of the most important flowers and plants and their stories. Beautiful flower pieces and details from the works of Rubens and his contemporaries accentuate the beauty of this garden masterpiece in bloom.

This book is published on the occasion of the inauguration of the redesigned garden of the Rubens House in Antwerp on August 30, 2024.