L'Abbaye Nouvelle


Of all the plant fairs at this time of year, perhaps the most beautiful venue is L'Abbaye Nouvelle, a 13th century Cistersian Abbey near Gourdon just at the border of the Department of Lot.



Despite heavy thundery showers, yesterday's Fete des Plantes still enjoyed a big turnout and understandably so. 


Voices echoed in the vaults - there's a certain atmosphere that only an 800 year old gothic abbey can deliver.


Inbetween cloudbursts, it was plants for the dry season that I was drawn to.  Plantes pour terrain sec and particularly Lavender.


I bought armfulls of  'Edelweiss',  a white variety. Being an angustifolia type, it grows large and is covered in insects during mid-summer. Completely hardy, I think this is a nigh on perfect plant.


Les aromatiques.....


to every type of pumpkin (this photo appears not for my love of squash and gourds, really it's the hand painted signs, luv 'em)


All in all this was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Comments

  1. What a lovely day! There's something so special with how you present the plant fairs. Makes me wish I could jump on an airplane and return!

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    1. Freda thanks.

      There is always such a good atmosphere at these events, many of the vendors attend the other venues so they all know each other.

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  2. Love the dry ground plants. Lavender and Thyme. Been trying to read the price tags. Can't quite see all the tags, but what I do see seems good. Kerr

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    1. Kerry I bought 12 lavender which were being sold at 10 euros for 3 or slightly more individualy. They were good sized plants for the money.

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  3. Wonderful surroundings for the fete.

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  4. Great pictures Rob, really felt like I was there, and so wanted to be.

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  5. What an amazing venue to hold a plant sale. The history that oozes from such a place somehow makes one want to buy even more plants. Love all the fragrant herbs. Happy planting!

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    1. Hello Karin

      That's exactly it - it's too easy to keep buying plants, way too easy.

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  6. Certainly a setting to envy you for Rob! Eight hundred years of fetes and other intrigues . . . enchanting place. I am also struck by how beautifully presented everything is. Oh, I would go for the lavender too! If only I could grow it again. It would only drown in a sea of bishops weed here. If I were clever and skilled as you are, I might come up with an idea of some containers for the garden. Looking forward to seeing where you put your new plants. Thanks for sharing this lovely day.

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    1. Carol you need to grow Lavender. Saying that, if the bishops weed you're refering to is ammi majus or similar, well it's a wonderful sight and every bit the equal of lavender.

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  7. I love that idea. Perfect for a sunday morning.

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  8. Those signs are great, Rob. Never seen anything like it over here. And the setting's not bad either.

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    1. They look like they were quickly painted before everything was loaded on the van that morning.... that's the beauty.

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  9. I'm not sure what impressed me more, the abbey or the stand of iris!

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