There are two formal jardins à la française at Chenonceau. The story of those two gardens is long and complicated. The first garden — the larger of the two — was designed and created for Diane de Poitiers when she lived at Chenonceau, through a grant from king Henri II, from 1547 until 1559. When Henri died, his wife (it was an arranged marriage), queen Catherine de Médicis (de' Medici in Italian), evicted Diane from Chenonceau. Here's a photo of Diane's garden.
Catherine wanted the Château de Chenonceau for herself. As the mother of Henri's young son and his regent, Catherine lived there until her death in 1589. She made significant changes in Diane's garden, and she had the second Chenonceau garden designed and planted. Here's a photo of Catherine's garden.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exOV5jb4OvQ/X36Uk6y_J6I/AAAAAAAA72M/411nRBHSbKsPrPe8EN_iwhWlSF_a5QO-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s860/IMG_9158a.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hy_8ousqnwg/X36UmOYgGPI/AAAAAAAA72Q/6H0_UDYJpjgerWFZsfkvz1SHIyCuv7nCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s860/IMG_9194a.jpg)
Every year, it seems, they are planted in these same pink flowers.
One word, lovely.
ReplyDeletetwo words, costly maintenance.
ReplyDeleteFour words, jobs for local people
DeleteTouche, Ken.
DeleteVery enjoyable, this series on Chenonceau :)
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your dental woes!
Did I say that I got one appointment with a dentist? It's an office with three dentists, and the first appointment available is November 26. I also got an appointment with a Rumanian dentist in the village of Luçay-le-Mâle, half an hour's drive from Saint-Aignan. He can see me on Wednesday 10/14... at 7:40 p.m. Strange.
DeleteSo Catherine had 30 years to supervise the design, planting and maintenance of her beautiful gardens, without lifting a finger, I’m sure. In my next life. ;)
ReplyDeleteFinally got my iPad back!
Glad about the iPad. As for the gardens, Catherine threw outrageous parties in them and in the château. Some say that's how she squandered a good part of her personal fortune.
DeleteKen LOL on the jobs. Those pink flowers are begonias. Which I think are deer resistant. Lovely gardens!
ReplyDeleteI bet the whole property is fenced in.
ReplyDelete