The site of the Alden Biesen Commandery is home to one of the largest standard orchards in the Netherlands, managed by the National Orchard Foundation (NBS). Fruit in all its forms (including exotic) has traditionally been present in castle and abbey gardens, and from the 17th century onwards, it experienced enormous growth. Especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries , hundreds of new varieties were developed in Haspengouw, a key factor in the agricultural economy. The rise of industrial standard orchards decimated the number of standard fruit trees: hundreds of varieties were threatened with extinction. The NBS is working to reverse this trend.

Dr. Paul Van Laer, coordinator of the National Orchard Foundation, takes us on a fruit journey to the "Heavenly Mountains" in the border region between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and western China, via the Silk Road to the Greek and Roman worlds. The latter introduced the many fruits to our region, and through medieval monastery gardens and baroque castle courtyards, these evolved into the green standard orchards that surrounded the Haspengouw villages well into the 20th century . Paul follows in the footsteps of renowned pomologists and scientific developments from the 18th to the 20th century . And, of course, he discusses the evolution of modern fruit growing.

A journey you have not often had the opportunity to experience, under the enthusiastic guidance of a fruit connoisseur through and through.

Paul Van Laer

During his agricultural sciences studies (now bioengineering), Paul Van Laer had already clearly chosen a direction in fruit growing. His thesis dealt with the selection and virus-freeing of rootstocks for apple and pear trees.

His professional career led him from the former research station in Gorsem (now PCFruit) and a brief stint as a teacher at the horticultural college and the HIK (now Thomas More) in Geel, to a 24-year career as a fruit cultivation consultant and breeder (crossing new apple varieties) at the Nicolaï tree nursery in Sint-Truiden and its spin-off at KU Leuven for the distribution of fruit crops. This position took him to the far corners of Europe.

Since 2009, Paul has been working as a coordinator for the National Orchard Foundation. His focus is on preserving standard orchards and their traditional varieties, and reintroducing them to the landscape and orchards. His extensive knowledge of these varieties and their historical background is therefore impressive. He has already authored several publications.