Gardens of Castle of Freÿr, Castle garden in Hastière, Belgium

The Gardens of Castle of Freÿr are a castle garden in Hastière along the Meuse River featuring terraced levels, ponds, and fountains set against limestone cliffs. The layout follows strict geometric order with symmetrical patterns and stone walls throughout.

The gardens were laid out from 1760 for the Count of Beaufort-Spontin in the French formal style, with terraces descending toward the Meuse. In 1772 a diplomatic meeting here between French and Spanish envoys settled a dispute over the island of Tobago. The orange trees in tubs were already part of the collection by the late 18th century.

The garden's name comes from the Freÿr family, who acquired the estate in the 14th century and still own it; the orange trees in tubs are moved into the orangery each winter and set out on the terraces in summer. The Meuse forms the garden's northern edge, and the limestone cliffs of the Rochers de Freÿr rise opposite.

The gardens lie on the left bank of the Meuse below the castle, reached from the village of Freÿr in Hastière. Visitors walk the terraced paths and hedge-lined axes on foot; the slopes between the Meuse and the limestone cliffs make some routes uneven. The grounds are open to visitors from March through November, and a smartphone application gives information along the way.

Hundreds of orange trees grow here in containers, with some tended for more than three centuries. These trees rank among Europe's oldest potted specimens still in cultivation.