Monet’s garden at Giverny
There’s something exhilarating about seeing a famous garden in person. I also find, and, maybe it’s just me, that I am usually slightly underwhelmed. Maybe it’s because often there are hordes of tourists, or I feel like I have to take everything in and end up hurrying through, snapping photos, without really enjoying it.
I tried not to build up Giverny in my mind so much, to avoid disappointment. I don’t really think I needed to though.
It was the perfect time to be there. Everything seemed to be in full bloom: irises, roses, peonies, violas.
I was pleasantly surprised to find seemingly-wild colour combinations (although I’m sure they were carefully orchestrated). I guess I’d expected the whole garden to look kind of like a My Monet weigela; muted pinks, whites, mauves. Indeed, pastels rule at Giverny, but so do reds, oranges and blacks.
I took my time wandering through the gardens. Yes, I took hundreds of photos. But I also crossed my eyes and imagined what Monet would have seen with this failing eyesight. I smelled the roses. I saved fallen petals between the pages of my journal.
And it was good.
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oh that looks beautiful! I love the last one.
Comment by degan — June 4, 2007 @ 11:01 am
What a treat. I felt as if I were there myself. Thank you for the photos. They’re beautiful.
Comment by Marie aka Piana Nanna — June 5, 2007 @ 7:55 am
SPLENDID!!!
Comment by Kim — June 5, 2007 @ 8:14 am
I love that you crossed your eyest to try to see what Monet would have saw. That’s totally something I would do, so it made me smile.
Great pictures–thanks for posting the little tour. Is the climate there about the equivalent of our zone 7 or 8? (I’m guessing, based on what I know of the area and that purple spiderwort that isn’t hardy here in zone 6.)
Comment by Kim — June 5, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
What a dream come true! Lucky, lucky you! I would LOVE to see this someday! Thanks for the most excellent photos! Almost like being there!
Comment by Gotta Garden — June 5, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Beautiful photographs! Thank you for posting them. Giverny is on my list of “Places to See Before I Die”. I agree, it looks like you were there at the perfect time!
Comment by Lisa G — June 7, 2007 @ 3:39 am
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos – I’ve got about 200 (!) more, just waiting to be uploaded to Flickr.
Blackswamp Kim – Apparently it’s a zone 8 – a humid one, I’d venture! And I’m glad I’m not the only one crossing my eyes.
All I can say is, it’s worth being on every gardeners’ list of places to see before they die!
Comment by Andrea — June 9, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
Gorgeous pictures!! Thank you so much for sharing, I’m inspired to start visiting my local gardens.
Comment by Jessica Schessler — June 11, 2007 @ 4:43 am