Strong will, hard work and a lot of love, were three elements that went in to the creation of a garden, extending over one hectare, in Belgium.
Fernand Geyselings was fulfilling a promise to his wife. He worked around the clock to create the colourful garden that comes to life in the spring. But as he approaches his eightieth birthday, the pensioner now looks to hand over the garden to someone else and spend more time with his wife.
Fernand Geyselings' private garden covers one hectare and contains 230,000 flowers. 300 varieties of tulips mix with 120 varieties of daffodils along with hyacinths, grape hyacinths or fritillaries, creating a colourful effect.
Located in northern Belgium, not far from the Dutch border, the garden opened to visitors at the beginning of April. It's a seasonal pleasure. The garden opens to visitors only while flowers are blooming - around five to six weeks every year
When he retired in 1987, he decided it was time to honour his promise. He planted up to three thousands bulbs. The hobby soon turned into a full-time job, with Geyselings often working fourteen to sixteen hours a day. The gardens opened to the public in 1993.
But he is now looking for someone to take over. His wife wants him back home.
Fernand Geyselings said, "Back a long time ago, I made this promise to my fiancee who then became my wife, but now, she is saying 'It is enough, we have been pensioners for twenty-one years and all those years I have hardly seen you because you are always in your garden, in your paradise on earth. So I am on my own most of the time. You will soon be 80. It is time we spend these last years of our lives together'. So this is the main reason I will stop doing this."
He hopes the garden will remain open to visitors. He's holding talks with communal authorities to find a solution to keep his legacy going - for the pleasure of visitors, whether they be people, or birds.
Admission to the garden is free. This year, it remains open until May 4.
