The gardens of the Château de Villandry

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Located near Tours, the gardens of the Château de Villandry are on the route of the Loire castles. It was in the 16th century that the old fortified castle was transformed into a Renaissance castle. Subsequently, different characters will buy it, modifying and developing the castle and its gardens according to their desires, guided by their desires and the fashions of the moment. In 1906, the new owners Ann and Joachim Carvallo set out to give its soul back to the estate. They first undertook restoration work in the castle, and it was not until 1915 that the gardens regain an appearance that matches the buildings. Today, their heirs perpetuate their work and maintain with the same passion the castle and its gardens open to the public since 1920. The gardens are distributed on three floors, with an ornamental garden made up of cut boxwood embroidery, an upper terrace comprising a water garden with waterfalls and hornbeams and a famous vegetable garden formed by nine geometric squares. Make way for the visit!

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Aerial view of the gardens located on the outskirts of the village of Villandry and surrounded by forest. A few landmarks: on the left, to the south of the estate, the water garden is made up of a central basin in the shape of a Louis XV mirror, compartmentalized lawns and a network of symmetrical perpendicular alleys and four secondary basins. In its extension, adjoining the village, extends the garden of the Sun which includes in its center a basin in the shape of the sun and massifs organized according to the design of an eight-pointed star. In front of the south facade of the castle rise the ornamental gardens. As for the nine squares located between the castle and the village, they welcome the vegetable patch

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Who says geometry does not necessarily mean austerity ... Indeed, despite its strict structure, the vegetable garden skillfully mixes vegetables and flowers within its nine squares, all different. Overhanging the flowerbeds like so many sentries, the rosebushes' role was to brighten up the vegetable garden and to offer monks enough to flower the statues of the Blessed Virgin.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Directly adjoining the southern facades of the château, here is the ornamental garden, the first living room. It is made up of four squares which constitute as many "Gardens of Love". At the top left, "Tender Love" calls on the symbolism of the heart. At the top right, in the garden of "Passionate love", hearts are still there but this time broken by passion. In the bottom right, "Volage Love" is symbolized by four fans that evoke the lightness of feelings. Finally, "Tragic Love" is punctuated by the design of clumps in the shape of dagger blades and decorated with red flowers that recall the blood shed during duels between rival contenders.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry In the extension of the gardens of Love, massifs in the shape of a cross, with here in the center the Maltese cross.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Garden… or vegetable patch? "Decorative vegetable garden!" The nine squares that mix vegetables and flowers are the highlight of the visit to the Villandry gardens. They are the synthesis of a double influence: monastic - dating from the Middle Ages -, for the structuring in cross and the arrangement of vegetables according to geometrical forms, and Italian - dating from the Renaissance -, for the enrichment in decorative elements ( fountains, arbors ...) intended to distract walkers.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry The nine squares all use different geometric patterns. Here, the blue of the leek and the red of the cabbage alternate to give the eye the illusion of a multicolored checkerboard.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Forms, flowers, vegetables, colors, perspectives: these are the watchwords of the vegetable patch.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Since 2009, the Villandry gardens have been used for biological maintenance. Attentive, the gardener observes the life of the vegetable garden in order to prevent the appearance of diseases and avoid the use of chemical treatments.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Gardening facetie… At the end of the summer, the vegetation is removed and only the squash remains in place, for an effect that is always as colorful and decorative!

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry In winter, the gardens retain a strong decorative character thanks to their geometric structure. Here, the boxwood borders of the vegetable patch seem to form a labyrinth which the visitor will have to find the exit to find the warmth of the castle.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry In the ornamental garden, special care is given to the topiaries, here yews pruned in the shape of candelabras.

Castle gardens of Villandry

Château de Villandry Set in the woods, the belvedere offers a remarkable overview of the gardens.

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