The making of the dutch landscape. an historical geography of the Netherlands

Aquaphobia, Tulipmania, Biophilia: A Moral Geography of the Dutch Landscape

“…The drained areas were carefully parcelled out in a strictly geometrical pattern. Whereas Renaissance engineers such as Andries Vierlingh (1570), dikemaster to William the Silent, had opted for 'persuasion' rather than force in dealing with aquatic nature, the new engineers of the classical age displayed a much stauncher attitude (Lambert 1971). One of them was Jan Adriaanszoon, a self-made man, born in De Rijp, a notorious waterland area, who nicknamed himself Leeghwater ('Empty-Water' in English) and claimed to have been involved in all the important reclamation projects of his era (1641, p. 15), although in critical studies it is said that his contributions have been overestimated (Struik 1958).…”

“…TULIPMANIA, OR: THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE SUBLIME As an artificial, highly cultivated plant, the tulip was perfectly suitable for representing an artificial, highly cultivated landscape. The first tulips were introduced into Holland in 1571 from Turkey, probably by the well-known horticulturist Carolus Clusius, professor of botany, who planted them in the newly established Hortus Bonaticus at Leyden where he started a series of experiments (Lambert 1971). The easily modifiable Dutch soil (a balanced mixture of sand, clay and manure) allowed for the production of new varieties.…”