Monday, May 14, 2012

Gardens of Marqueyssac


Gardens of Marqueyssac – The Marqueyssac gardens is located in France. The charm of the terrace gardens has delighted its visitors for the last three centuries and Marqueyssac has become one of France’s most beautiful Italian-style gardens. The gardens of Marqueyssac castle consist of over six kilometres of shaded alleys, edged by 150,000 hand-pruned, one hundred year-old box-trees, rockeries, waterways, grassy clearings, dry-stone huts, rotunda, a Gothic chapel, and playgrounds for the children.

Source: Google images
In front of the 18th century chateau, the main terrace is arranged in a geometric pattern which symbolises the symmetry of the two main bodies of the castle. Built with great simplicity, the chateau is topped by a roof made of limestone slabs, typical of Périgord.

Source: Google images

Source: Google images
The spectacular bastion terrace is made up of numerous box-trees four gardening employees of the estate, with cypress trees also giving structure to the landscape. The box-trees are all sculpted in curves to mimic the roundness of the surrounding hills and it can be rather enjoyable to get lost along the winding paths of this green labyrinth.

Source: Google images
Julien de Cerval dedicated the last 30 years of his life to create a haven of peace in Marqueyssac by transforming the estate he inherited in 1861 into a beautiful residence and a utopian garden. He was a passionate gardener and a great expert of Italian-style gardens and agronomy, which he marvellously recreated in Marqueyssac, with its terraces and ornamental trees such as cypress, elm, Judas, umbrella and lime. Julien de Cerval designed this garden for his own personal enjoyment, to write poems in it amongst this romantic site dominated by a soft, fresh green and the delicate perfume of box-trees, santolina, rosemary and lavender.

Source: Google images
Visitors can stroll around the gardens without a guide thanks to illustrated signs and panels which provide information throughout the park. It is also possible to follow a guide for no extra cost between the months of April and September. The domain also features a boutique and a “salon de thé” (open from Easter to the end of October) which both offer spectacular views over Beynac Castle.

2 comments:

Nancy Nkhk said...

wow~

Unicorn fx said...

Cantik right? We can also make a garden like this hohohoho. I wish XD