Thursday, September 01, 2011

Jardin de Brécy





While I was on my quest for photos of silver orange tree tubs, I found a Veranda article on the gardens at Château de Brécy in Normandy. Unfortunately, I can't figure out from which issue I pulled this article, but I do know that the beautiful photos were taken by Jacques Dirand.

Barbara and Didier Wirth, the current owners of the château, were encouraged to purchase it in the early 1990s by Hubert de Givenchy. Givenchy had considered buying the property in the mid-1950s, but because he was a young man at the time, he found the amount of work needed to restore the property to be daunting. The gardens at Château de Brécy are some of the few remaining French gardens dating back to the first half of the seventeenth century. The main garden is made up of five parterres. There is also some beautiful ornamental stonework. Unfortunately, not much is known about original plantings as little documentation about the gardens' design survives.

As you can see in the photos, the Wirths have done a remarkable job restoring the garden. I'm now curious about what the interiors of the house look like.
























All images from Veranda, Jacques Dirand photographer.

5 comments:

  1. fabulous, no? I believe this is from an issue from a number of years ago. I know I have them in my clipping files at home.

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  2. These are magnificent gardens indeed. The chateau is located near Bayeux, famous for the early tapestries, and the gardens can be visited during the summer months in the afternoon.
    A good place to stay when there is the Wolsey Lodge "www.chateaulacour.com as guests of David and Leslie Craven

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  3. So incredibly beautiful, majestic. The restoration process was a labor of love. Thank you for opening my eyes. Mary

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  4. Anonymous3:02 AM

    The beautiful photographs are in the Veranda March-April 2002 issue. I still have the magazine because of those beautiful photographs! I am visiting the area this summer maybe I can visit the gardens!

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    1. Thank you for letting me know in which issue this article appeared. I hope that you get the chance to visit the gardens this summer. If you do, come back and let us know what they're like in person!

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