Pépinière du Lac des Joncs, near Rouffignac, is a truly wonderful nursery. I blogged about it back in March here . Home of Monsieur Willy de Wilde, this is a gem of a place, not just because of the great selection of perennials and grasses but because of all the other touches such as the dry garden (pictured) , the seriously beautiful stone buildings plus all the help and advice you need courtesy of master propagator and plantsman Willy . All is well at chez de Wilde.
I mentioned previously that this is a great place to find many varieties of Ivy. Now that's a sentence that may not 'float' everyone's boat, but I like Ivy and it's a plant which I'm hoping will be a problem solver for a difficult area in front of La Grande Maison. The short wall which runs the length of the terrace also acts as a stone planter. The soil is inevitably impoverished. the micro-climate is harsh (it gets hot in the courtyard, 37 C yesterday) and I struggle to get anything to grow. I planted Nasturtium 'Empress of India' this year and already they're dwindling plus acting as complete martyrs to pests. Black aphids love 'em. So plan B, I'm planting Ivy.
They're small leafed varieties which should grow quick and cascade a bit. The plan is hopefully to have the wall cloaked in green for next year and to introduce colour with a number of well positioned pots planted with I don't know what as yet.
Completely off topic, early yesterday morning this flew over Le Banquet and landed in the next field. Oh to balloon in the Vézère Valley! I was lucky enough to get a photo. Incidentially, if you want to see more images of this beautiful part of the world, please visit my other blog Dordogne Daily Pic.
You are so lucky to have M. Willy in your neighborhood! How can one not be inspired when shopping in a setting like that! Good luck with the ivy. Some of them run rampant in the Southeastern US, but I still love them for containers and uses such as that which you've described.
ReplyDelete"Seriously beautiful stone buildings" No wonder people from the Old World have a superiority complex! Sigh.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to keep up on the spider mite patrol. I've heard that ivy seems destined for spider mites, especially in hot and dry situations, and it has proven true for me so far. Nasty buggers, those mites.
What a great place to shop for plants! Hope your planter survives. 37C is really hot, like 98F! How's the rainfall?
ReplyDeleteCameron
It is so picturesque.
ReplyDeleteDonna
So beautiful. I think the ivy-covered wall is a great idea. I hope it works for you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place. Such a beautiful place to visit and I have a lot of ivies too - not all planted (lol).
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I remember charming Pépinière du Lac des Joncs very well from your previous post. Good luck with the ivy, Rob ... sounds like the perfect 'green' solution for you. Wish you lived near ... I would love to share ... rip out ivy by the pounds!
ReplyDeleteI can see why Carolynn from a Glowing Ember wants to move there. Everything looks so romantic, and gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteEven your nurseries are stunning. It is beautiful there.
Jen
The nursery and buildings are beautiful, I'd be there all the time. I like the ivies you chose and I bet they will look great in the stone planter.
ReplyDeleteWe actually had a yellow hot air balloon in the sky near our house last evening. Now I'm going to see your other blog.
Exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThe image of the dry garden is so lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place - just the sort of garden nursery I'd like to visit!
ReplyDeleteThe ivy sounds like a great idea for your wall - hope it is successful.
we had a good downpour yesterday which unfortunately was interspersed with damaging bursts of hail!
ReplyDeleteNow whereas I've been running around staking, re -tying etc... the real damage is to the vines as so many grapes get striped from the plant and are now scattered everywhere.
It's no wonder the wine producers specifically insure themselves against hail damage, it has the potential to destroy an entire seasons crop.
What a wonderful setting the nursery is in.
ReplyDeleteI think I needed to be born in different age: every time I see some old stone buildings or structures, my heart sinks. The first picture took my breath away.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read your blog I long to move back to France. Thank you for making me feel as if I still do sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI really love that first shot with the old stone buildings... enchanting!
ReplyDeleteIt will look grand and be perfect for that hot pitiful area. No other plant looks better when treated so badly than the dear ivy. I agree--
ReplyDeleteThat is a very pretty nursery. It would cost a lot here to make something look that old and have so much personality. The Willy name does sound like a good old Southern boy though. We call all Williams--Willy. We say it--wheel e.
I am visiting from flowergardengirl's blog. Your garden looks exactly as I think French gardens should ,old stone buildings and riots of colour, and of course sunshine.The garden centre is one I would love to browse around!
ReplyDelete