Inevitably when Karen and I visit the formal gardens at Eyrignac, it's during the depths of Winter. This is a splendid place indeed, in the grandest tradition. On a cold dark day in December we practically had the place to ourselves bar for the call of Crows circling overhead and the smell of woodsmoke from home fires burning in the valley below; all serve to lend an almost eery quality.
The canal was frozen that day, terracotta pots wrapped against the cold. The low December sun just added to the chill.
Even in mid winter, the garden forms a tapestry of green and beige and whether this stark formality is your bag or not, it's hard not to appreciate the skill and accuracy that creates perfectly clipped Box, Hornbean and Yew.
Italy inspired the gardens of XVIIIth century France. Fastigiate Cypress punctuate perfectly domed White Mulberry. If it's happy, the cypress variety 'stricta' looks almost as if it's been brushed.
Ivy has it's place.
Avenues of Yew 'cakestands' lead you onward flanked by enormous Cedar.
Described as "the creation of the same family's passion for five hundred years", Les Jardins du Manoir d'Eyrignac are classed as a Jardin Remarquable by the French Ministry of Culture.
From my garden the French Ministry would approve of, thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the terra cotta wrap? Soooooo curious.
Garden &Be Well, XO T
Magestic! And you are so good sharing this beauty with us! Love those cypresses! it was interesting to see the terracota pots' wrap. All in all, the place is wonderful, and it's awesome that you had it for yourselves!
ReplyDeleteI loved the tour. The topiaries are just amazing, I can't imagine having that much patience.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place to visit in the winter - I can feel the atmosphere! Wonderful to have it to yourselves!
ReplyDeleteMagnificent place, even in winter. I wonder what they use to get to the top of those cypresses. My arms are sore from imagining all that pruning.
ReplyDeleteThey are gorgeous, formal and requiring a lot of attention. So glad you brought this to us.
ReplyDeleteQuite lovely! Indeed, evergreens do make winter so much more enjoyable. The quiet and tranquil of the gardens are so apparent in your photos.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Cameron
PS We're wimps. It's snowing again here and we're heading to Hawaii tomorrow for a week of 80 degrees and sunshine! Assuming our flight actually goes -- the first one was already cancelled and we're on a later flight.
GLORIOUS! Thanks for the tour!
ReplyDeleteSharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this with us, Rob.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of garden is right up my alley, but there is no way I could do it. That kind of thing takes an army of gardeners. I'm glad that somebody somewhere has the coffers to employ them. So until I win the lottery, I have to enjoy them vicariously through pictures.
Thank you again!!
How beautiful! Thanks for the tour. Carla
ReplyDeleteRob, I hardly have the time to cut back our ornamental grasses, ;)
ReplyDeletebut clearly, when we visit Europe we seek these extraordinary places. Simply magnificent! and one to put on our list should we venture to your neck of the woods.
Happy New Year!
Even though the weather was cold, the limestone and the slanting golden light lend warmth to the scenes. Normally topiary isn't my favorite but the intricacy and various colors and forms are amazing. I love the cypress.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely garden to visit during winter, I am glad I do not have to cut and trim all those hedges!! Diane
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful. Excuse me if I link to this Rob.
ReplyDeleteWow ~ it certainly merits the 'Jardin Remarquable' classification. I would imagine that winter could be possibly the best time to visit Rob - no flowers to distract the eyes :)
ReplyDeleteEvery time I check out your gardens, just want to get on a plane and visit. Really beautiful. You have so much more green than I do in the winter - nice. Here on Lake Michigan - way more snow! But in time the Spring will come. In the meantime I just keep blogging away with views and ideas from my blog. gardensatwaterseast.blogspot.com/ Nice to share. Thanks much for your garden. Jack
ReplyDeleteAmazing how beautiful the gardens are even in midwinter (and nice pictures, by the way). My neck gets sore just imagining all the pruning required, but it's so beautiful. My poor boxwoods are looking brown and burnt from the cold and wind around here.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed my virtual visit to this beautiful French garden--a place for everything and everything in its place.
ReplyDeleteDear Rob, oh my. Thank you for warming our hearts and minds with these visuals from Heaven. I so admire artistic pruning, these are mighty find examples. I will be bookmarking this post to return to again and again.
ReplyDeletexxoo
Frances
Stunning, dear Rob. Thank you, thank you, for sharing. Just what I needed to warm my heart on this cold snowy day.
ReplyDeleteTons of patience to create such a place. Happy New Year Rob and I enjoy your posts more than you'll ever know.
ReplyDeleteThe beautifully clipped bushes, trees, etc ... adds to the elegance that is already there! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeletePink Hugs,
Dee
That's a garden I don't know but will come to do so thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteIf that is the way it looks in summer it must be beyond gorgeous when summer rolls around!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love to admire and visit gardens like this...but could never have one myself. Thank you for showing us!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great garden- thanks for the post and the great pictures!
ReplyDelete