More On Chenonceau
You may remember from the last post that after Henry II died, his widow Catherine de Medici moved into Chenonceau, forcing out the King’s mistress. (There is a soap opera aspect to these dynastic histories.)
Catherine made her own garden, also with a view of the Cher River (not the Loire, as I previously wrote). It is another formal garden, though less symmetrical, and with a pool at the center rather than a fountain.
The most notable flowers in Catherine’s garden were the many roses, both standards and climbers. (At this point in the day the light was beginning to fade, and that affected the pictures.) Beds are filled with lilac Petunias, white Begonias, and silver Artemesia.
Catherine’s garden provides good vantage points for viewing the Chateau, including the gallery she built over the length of the river. Her garden seems more linked to the Chateau than Diane’s.
We also visited the vegetable and cutting gardens, which provide the Chateau with the flowers they use for indoor displays. The vegetable garden was full of roses and annual flowers. And I loved the bright, multi-colored field of Zinnias!
When we were ready to leave, we were startled to see a whole flotilla of hot air balloons approaching the chateau. One by one they sailed right up to the castle for a close look, then floated away. It was time for us to leave as well.
Balloons flew over just as I was leaving Charmont chateau last year; it must be an organised way of viewing the chateau. Catherine came from a family of very keen gardeners and would have grown up in Florence with some of the most advanced gardens around her. She is reputed to have taken much of the culture of Florence to France when she married including many dishes we think of as French and the use of forks rather than just knives for eating.
Yes, I was wondering how these gardens compared to their contemporaries in Italy. It does seem Italy had a big civilizing influence on France in those days. Also, did you know that da Vinci lived his last years in Amboise?His old estate is now a museum, one of the things we didn’t get to see.
Lovely pictures again! 😀
Glad yo liked them!
The zinnias look so bright and happy. I like this garden more than the previous. More flowers and a little less formal.
Zinnias are one of my favorite annuals. Good at handling drier conditions.
What a sight! I’d love to see those balloons in such a magnificent setting. Like a moment passing through history…
Seeing the balloons was certainly a nice way to end the visit. Apparently there are balloon tours daily.
Oh, it’s so gorgeous and your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks. We were told that this is the most popular chateau in France for visitors.
I’m not surprised. I did look ‘google’ it after reading your posts.
This is such an incredibly magical place to visit. I wanted to move in!
I would make do with the gardener’s cottage!
Beautiful pictures. The gardens look very impressive.
I thought Catherine’s garden had a more relaxed, tranquil feel than the other. Still more formal than I would do myself, though.
This is lovely. I adore Zinnias and it is interesting to see them planted here.
They must use a lot of Zinnias in their floral displays – they do make a good cut flower.
What a wonderful post, just imagine owning a place like that with such fantastic views and a garden to die for. I loved the ballons, what a marvelous finishing touch.xxx
It seems impossible that a single person could own this sort of place.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of formal gardens…but, up close, that one does have a bit of romantic flair, doesn’t it 🙂
It does, though I think the setting is a big part of that.
I loved the balloons and would have liked to be on them to see a birds eye view of the estate. I am surprised at all the annuals, but they really do look lovely.
I could never go up in those balloons, I have a fear of heights. Judy had to really twist my arm to get me up in a ferris wheel.
Fabulous Jason…I think I like this garden even better and the veg and cutting gardens are even better to me than the formal ones.
I agree, the vegetable and cutting gardens are much more my style, but I can still enjoy the more formal gardens.
Nice. I like the vegetable and cutting garden best. When I move into the chateau I’ll choose a room which overlooks them. They could use a couple meatballs though 😉
And perhaps some sunflowers and tall prairie grasses.
That is quite a place! The borders of petunias, begonias, and artemesia are really beautiful. I don’t think I would have thought of white and silver together but it really works well with the petunias.
It does work well, doesn’t it?
Thanks for sharing these pictures. In high school I was able to meet two teacher’s requirements, art and French, by illustrating the chateau. I never saw any decent pictures of the gardens until yours. I think I liked the vegetable and cutting gardens better than the formal gardens, which like you, are not my cup of tea.
Judy thanks you for the compliment. What a great way to get credit toward HS graduation.
I vote for Catherine’s garden over Diane’s. Either Diane or her gardener must have been a little uptight to design gardens like those.
Funny because it was Catherine who had the reputation for being uptight. But maybe it was in the garden where she could cut loose.
I like formality but can’t relate to either of these gardens. But then, they are about power and dominion, seeing and being seen, not for communing with nature. The estate is magnificent and I would visit time and again if I had the chance. What a wonderful day you enjoyed!
Gorgeous gardens and architecture – and what a lovely treat to see the balloons at the end. I’ve really been enjoying reading about your trip.
Seeing the balloons really was an exciting end to the day.
Hi, I’m a digital artist with a magic realism style. Just wondered if I would be able to get permission to use the Gallery picture with the chequered floor for an idea I have? Thanks. Andy
Sure. Just list the url for credit.