Brittany garden visits

Good guy · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:33 pm Post subject: Brittany garden visits

Two gardens today: Jardin Exotique, Roscoff and Jardin George la Salle, Ille de Batz.
Both were well worth seeing. I'm told the planting is reminiscent of that in gardens in the Scilly isles, taking advantage of the extraordinary mildness.
Ille de Batz (pronounced Ba) is a 15 min ferry ride from Roscoff.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:49 pm Post subject:

Wow! Loving these pictures - keep 'em coming.

Good guy · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:58 pm Post subject:

Glad you are enjoying them. Mont St Michel tomorrow, which is more of a tourist trip (trap?) In the afternoon, to La Ballue Gardens, which are almost in Normandy.

tagwex · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 10:26 pm Post subject:

Baaah! Should have went to KS's place.....

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:24 am Post subject:

Lovely. I like the rocks as well.

You'll have to do Tresco also sometime.

Good guy · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 6:27 am Post subject:

Yes, I'd like to go there (Treso and KS's). Meanwhile, if someone would lend me a few granite boulders around Burtonport, I think I could do something interesting with then, having seen Roscoff.
Now, I've a bus to catch.........

Blowin · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 8:15 am Post subject:

I trust your legs have recovered from Mont St Michel? Plenty of ready salted mutton round there.

Good guy · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:21 pm Post subject:

It was amazing. But I've just spent about 35 mins on a post about the days activities and it's all disappeared into cyberspace. Bah!

tagwex · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 10:13 pm Post subject:

Switch it off then on again. Failing that, take battery out and put it in again! Or hit the back button.

Good guy · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:08 am Post subject:

I'll try again:
Mt Ste Michel is amazing. I climbed up through the throngs and the rampant huxtering to find a place of extraordinary spirituality at the top. I guess it was always so.
The gardens at La Ballue are truly remarkable. I'll include a few pics but you'd be better off going to the website. Much of it is a very formal, very modern re-interpretation of the tradition, around a beautiful C17th Manoir. Then there are many smaller gardens each with its own theme. All in shades of green enlivened by white flowers and touches of single colours. Very French, very intellectual!

Ado 2 · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:22 am Post subject:

J E A L O U S

Sue Deacon · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:22 am Post subject:

Not the world's biggest fan of topiary, but that really is excellent. Nothing at all like some of the gloomy lumps of foliage you find in England. Any signs of Box blight? Hope not, it would be such a shame to lose all that hard work.

Keep sending the photo's!

Good guy · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:13 pm Post subject:

Box blight is around but this garden seems to have escaped so far. The owner/head gardener is very careful about hygiene, quarantines plants and is conducting a trial on different varieties of box. I think you could say she is obsessional! There is yew, cupressus, beech, thuja and I don't know what else as well as box - all different kinds of green.
I'm no great fan of topiary either, except as an occasional bit of fun, but when you see it done like that.........!
Wait till you see this morning's garden. But you'll have to wait cos I've got to go and eat some nice Breton food. Tee hee!

Sue Deacon · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:42 pm Post subject:

OK don't rub it in! Laughing

There is a new cafe in Enniskillen - The Happiness Trap. All local, home-cooked, organic etc yumminess. I got a take away mix of salads today - not cheap, but worth every penny. So I envy you your trip but I won't swap my tea!

Good guy · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 9:56 pm Post subject:

This mornings trip was to Le Grand Launay. My photos don't do it justice - it's the culmination of a couples' work over 40 years. Note the serpents climbing the apple trees in the Garden of Eden!
Sue, the last one is for you.