Gardens around Paris

In late May, we took the train from London to Paris through the tunnel. What a great way to go although the food on the train was terrible. The following picture shows that we really were in Paris on a cloudy rainy day:

GIVERNY:
Claude Monet first purchased this property in 1883 and developed a colorful garden around his house. The garden is in two parts, one near the house which has fruit trees, standard roses and densely packed flowers and the other across the road which consists of the water garden with the famous lily pond that he painted so often. Many years after Monet's death, the garden fell into disrepair and was not maintained. A group of American philanthropists took it over in the 1970s and restored it back to its original form. Fortunately there were good records, photographs, paintings and writings that documented what it looked like originally. This view is from the road toward the house on the left of the central axis.

This view is along the central axis. Originally when Monet bought the property, there was a row of cypresses along the central path which he found too dark and depressing. He had them taken down and replaced with rose trellises which you see today.

Here is a photograph of Monet himself in this part of the garden.

 To the right of the central axis are more flower beds densely planted with colour all season.

It is hard not to take a lot of pictures!

Some areas have grass at this time but are full of bulbs earlier in the spring

The view of the garden from inside the house is wonderful!

You go under the road these days through a tunnel to reach the water garden and its water lilies. 

 

All the different textures of green foliage make for a very appealing sight.

LA PROPRIETE CAILLEBOTTE:

Gustave Caillebotte lived in the second half of the 19th century and was both a supporter of the impressionist painters of the time but also an accomplished artist himself. His family moved to this country retreat on the Yerres River about 20 km south of Paris. Here they created a beautiful house and garden. The garden has sweeping lawns:

 There are more formal garden beds near the house and entrance to the garden

 Other parts near the river are less formal 

There was an extensive vegetable garden which is now maintained by a very enthusiastic group of volunteers.

 Note the glass covers which are put over tender plants each evening and removed during the day.

PARC DE BAGATELLE:

One of four botanic gardens of Paris, this Parc and its chateau were built in 1775 in just 64 days after a bet between Queen Marie-Antoinette and her brother-in-law Count Artois that it couldn't be done. It was! It is a large parc with walled areas, garden rooms and an expansive open area with roses. The walled garden had roses and clematis trained on the wall with garden beds alongside.

The mixture of different roses and clematis are very effective

A sunken iris garden surrounded by high hedges was still full of blooms

The feature of the whole gardens are the roses all of which are labelled and well maintained.

 Even the wildlife is spectacular