Utrecht's Green Lung, A Visit to Máximapark
Bridges, Butterflies, and a Wobbly Ferry
My friend and I recently spent some time in Máximapark, which was opened in the summer of 2013 by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. This “green lung” of Utrecht is a relatively new park and is still undergoing development.
The highlight of our visit was the Vlinderhof, which translates as the Butterfly Garden. The garden itself was designed by the world-renowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he is the creative force behind the famous High Line in Manhattan. True to his “New Perennial” style, the Vlinderhof is planted with a varied mix of perennials, ornamental grasses, pollinator-friendly blooms, and several trees. Nearby, we used a charming, self-operated pull ferry to get across a narrow creek. It gave us the giggles because it was a bit unbalanced and wobbly.
We barely scratched the surface of this enormous area. To put the park’s size into perspective, Máximapark is roughly the same size as Utrecht’s entire city center. The park offers a mix of playgrounds, sports fields, trails, and monumental bridges.
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It is no surprise that the park was voted the most popular park in the Netherlands back in 2014. Having seen only a fraction of what it has to offer today, I will undoubtedly return to visit some other corners of this new green oasis in the suburbs.
