THANK YOU
TOGETHER, WE ARE BRINGING LIFE AT ONS BUITEN MORE AND MORE INTO THE RHYTHM OF NATURE. GRATEFUL FOR EVERY STEP AND CHOICE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THIS. ONS BUITEN IS BLOOMING.
Between what we saw before us and what you are experiencing here now lies a heartfelt ‘thank you’. Because every stay continues to make the growing story of ONS BUITEN possible.
“It started in our own garden. There we saw how rich life can quickly become when you create the right conditions. Sometimes that also requires intervention. In the past, large grazers roamed the countryside, pushing down trees and turning over the soil, only to leave it alone afterwards. As humans, we can now mimic their role in a smart way. That's how we work together with nature.
Gradually, we noticed how we ourselves became an active part of that larger whole. And how growth takes place on many more levels than you might initially think. When the conditions are right, a lot happens automatically. You build together with nature. That feels logical, relaxed and natural.
The garden offered us a new perspective. And it soon became clear: we wanted this for entire ONS BUITEN. For the grounds, for nature, and for everyone who visits here."
Dagmar and Gabriël
'Dancing a little with life'
DE VISION THEN
A place that sustains itself, less dependent on outside influences.
Space to observe and learn from what lives and grows.
Opulence, grown from simplicity and patience.
A landscape that breathes, protects, surprises, and shares.
LANDSCAPE DEVELOPER JOS
At ONS BUITEN, I observed something that consistently surprises me: as soon as you nourish the soil and improve conditions, a natural fabric emerges that becomes increasingly rich and productive. Plants, roots, birds, insects: they all contribute to this enrichment. Everything that lives has a special talent in this enrichment, and we can utilise and assist these talents. It sounds almost too simple to be true, but that is precisely my point: it is simple.
In the past, everything had to be done quickly (immediate planting, more fertiliser, tight ditches and canals that drained water quickly), but now we see that by slowing down, we can reach the “finish line” much sooner. For example, by first planting willows, pruning them and using them to feed the soil. This ensures that the soil conditions are improved before planting fruit trees. As a result, the fruit trees grow much better and we also see that water management is much more efficient.
That gives us space to observe all those other creatures, large and small (with whom we not only share nature, but also create it). I like to quote Ernst Götsch and ask creatures I don't yet know: Hey, what are you doing here?
It touches me to experience, amid all this diversity, that there is so much abundance, and it is only increasing. When you consider that all growth is essentially accumulated and accumulating sunlight. My head spins when I think about how much light is still on its way to us. And my head spins when I think about how much life can still arise from this, and how much food and how many natural resources. We can all harvest that light and accumulate it here on and in the Earth. That idea makes me see enormous potential and gives me a lot of hope for the future. We are being helped by nature.
'Hey what are you doing here?
At ONS BUITEN, you can experience all of this: this landscape and ONS BUITEN as a company demonstrate that a different way of interacting with nature is not complicated. It is even easier, more enjoyable, and ultimately more beneficial for everyone and everything.
Jos Willemsen
'Understanding the simple, trusting the complex'
THE EXPERIENCE NOW
The impact of five years of regenerative management is visible on the site. By increasingly strengthening the power of nature and working with it, the natural capacity for recovery becomes apparent. This approach makes it possible to place interventions (such as removing buildings or felling trees) within a larger whole. And in doing so, contribute to the long-term development of the landscape.
The focus is shifting from “less damage” to “creating more value”. This translates into measurable results: roots develop deeper, water is retained better, biodiversity increases or, simply put, natural creative power is strengthened. Where artificial fertiliser was previously needed, the landscape now grows from natural power.
Within this context, the principle of lumisyntropy also takes shape: as a coherent dance in which light and life together create ever more life and vitality. This principle is integrated into the development of ONS BUITEN and serves as a guiding principle for future choices.
'From less damage to more value'
- MORE TREES AND SHADE
Coolness under young trees, glimpses between branches, fruit ripening faster.
Read more about the trees here.
- WATER THAT STAYS
Rain slowly seeps into the wadis. Birds bathe. Insects drink. There are reserves for dry days.
Read more about wadis here
- A SOIL FULL OF LIFE
Bare feet on soft, airy soil. Roots find depth, the soil is teeming with life. There is vitality.
Read more about the soil here.
- BUTTERFLIES, BEES AND BIRDS
Flying over. Flying in. Flying out. Lives in all stages. Cheerful voices and children playing mingle with fluttering, singing and buzzing. A fuller sound echoes across the grounds.
Read more about animals on ONS BUITEN soon.
Read more about the sustainability policy