In
1989, I acquired with my wife a house with a big garden, an ancient meadow
with cows lined at the bottom of a hedge of poplars. I'd no experience
in gardening. First years, I contented with mowing and with planting some
inevitable rosebushes which grew poorly.
The region, Normandy, is very rich in gardens to be visited. So I discovered that can become a garden and understood that it was necessary to plant abundantly to create the luxuriance.
I began to buy books of which the first one who influenced me was "Colours and gardens" by Gertrude Jekyll. It was the discovery of the famous English mixed-borders. The garden still had no structure and I got lost in details.
I attended a conference of John Brookes at the National Society of Horticulture of France. I got myself his book "Gardens and Landscapes" which helped me to imagine the drawing of the garden.
But it was the visit in 1995 of "Vastérival", the garden of princess Sturdza who was determining. There, I discovered the style I looked for : a natural style where every plant is highlighted and contributes at the same time to the set.
Thus, I make no more plan on the paper, but in the head by pacing up and down the garden in all directions.
Today, always influenced by "Vastérival"
which I visite every year, I'm interested in the work on the colour of
Nori and Sandra Pope, as well as in that of Piet Oudolf on hardy plants
and grasses.
See
their books.
My objective is to realize a beautiful garden all year along. It'll take time because I arrange only weekends to garden. Fortunatly, the Norman climat allows to dedicate me to this passion al year long.
