%0 Journal Article %A de Klerk, Aad P. %T Lyrisch over een landschap %D 2021 %J Tijdschrift voor Historische Geografie, %V 6 %N 3 %P 243-266 %@ 2468-2195 %R https://doi.org/10.5117/THG2021.3.002.KLER %K Zeeland %K landschapsschoon %K Walcheren %I Amsterdam University Press, %X Abstract A lyrical landscape. Walcheren as the ‘garden of Zeeland’ From the 17th century until the 1944 war inundation, the island of Walcheren was lyrically described and praised, most famously as the ‘garden of Zeeland’. Earlier, such laudations were given to the island of Noord-Beveland and during the 19th and early 20th century to (a part of) Zuid-Beveland as well. The small-scale and enclosed countryside of Walcheren, with its many and characteristic country estates, was eulogised not only by writers and poets, but also by geographers and historians. Partially due to improved transportation since the late 19th century, Walcheren has attracted an ever-growing number of visitors. Accordingly, more than any of the other Zeeland islands, its alluring landscape was repeatedly celebrated. After the 1944 war inundation the Walcheren landscape was completely reconstructed, but an assessment of this lies beyond the scope of this article. %U https://www.aup-online.com/content/journals/10.5117/THG2021.3.002.KLER