When purchasing the house, the park was the decisive factor for the imperial couple. It offered them freedom of movement and, moreover, for the Kaiser the opportunity to keep in shape: he directed and took part in the maintenance of the woods. He was also interested in the laying-out of the gardens. In 1920 he had the Auguste-Viktoria Garten constructed : a reduced copy of the rosary in Potsdam. After a period of decay it was reconstructed in 1996.

In 1919 some changes had been made to the English landscape garden, constructed between 1810 and 1830. These were commissioned by the then owner of the house, Baroness van Heemstra, Audrey Hepburn’s great-aunt. Garden-architect Hugo Poortman introduced formal elements, like borders. To this day Poortman’s realised designs are still partly visible.
The coming years efforts will be made to restore the park to its former glory.

Mausoleum
Wilhelm ll dies on the 4th of June 1941. Contrary to many of his ancestors, he will not be laid to rest in the majestic Berliner Dom. As early as 1933 he had stipulated in his will that he wanted to be buried in Doorn if, at the time of his death, the monarchy in Germany had not been restored. His son, Crown prince Wilhelm, asks architect Martin Kieszling to design a mausoleum amidst his much loved rhododendrons in the park. Here Wilhelm finds his last resting place. On the roof is a brass ball with a cross on top of it, made secretly by a Doorn blacksmith from old copper cooking pots from Huis Doorn’s kitchen. During World War ll all copper had to be turned in to the German occupier, who used it to make guns.