Zeijerveen combines a cultivated moorland landscape with a distinctive botanical theme: more than 650 different species of wild trees and shrubs from America, Asia and Europe grow at the Assen Arboretum. There is also the “Arboretum bomenpark wandeling,” a walking route almost three kilometres long. This offers several ways to plan your visit: the plant collection, a marked walk and the history of the moorland. You can shape your stay around whether you are most interested in trees and shrubs, a specific route or learning how the area came to be.

Trees by region of origin

The Assen Arboretum is located in a cultivated moorland landscape around the hamlet of Zeijerveen. The trees and shrubs grow in their natural forms. Rather than being grouped by species, they are grouped by their origins in America, Asia and Europe. The trees and shrubs themselves, as well as the way the collection is organised, shape its botanical focus.

This layout draws attention to geographical origin rather than classification by species. If you are looking for a theme to follow during your visit, you can explore the different regions of origin; the plants’ natural forms add another dimension to this layout. The three continents indicate where the trees and shrubs come from, while the arboretum’s location in the moorland around Zeijerveen provides its local setting. This helps you see the wide-ranging plant collection and the local landscape as distinct but complementary themes.

Walking route and getting there

The “Arboretum bomenpark wandeling” walking route is almost three kilometres long and is marked with posts bearing pink markers. It is designed for walking year-round. The distance gives you a clear idea of what to expect when choosing a walk, while the markers provide another point of reference. Free parking for this walk is available in Zeijerveen on Ten Oeverstraat, near house number 11. The parking information answers a different practical question than the route length: it gives you a place to park if you are travelling by car. Check the current access to the route before your visit.

Raised bog and drainage

Zeijerveen developed as a raised bog because a glacial till layer close beneath the surface hindered water drainage. The cause of the bog’s formation therefore lies underground: the layer near the surface slowed the flow of water. This makes the landscape’s formation a topic in its own right, alongside the variety of plants and the walking route.

To drain and develop the area, the Asser wijk was extended into the Zeijerveen bog. It branches off from the Drentse Hoofdvaart. This allows two aspects of the area’s history to be distinguished: the glacial till layer explains the formation of the raised bog, while the extended waterway served drainage and development. These topics offer different ways to explore the area when planning your trip: the route gives you a specific distance, the collection groups trees and shrubs by their origins, and the landscape’s history explains the role of the underlying geology and the waterway.

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