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| gardens | |
| gardens to visit in and around Oeuf | |
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| garden village Oeuf | |
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Although Oeuf is not an official village fleuri its inhabitants take great pride in their gardens (photo above: rue d'Agerue; photo left: garden next to the church). Wandering through the village one can see a variety of garden styles. Often the design is typical French with bulbs and annuals in contrasting colours but English cottage gardens are also commonly seen. |
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Of far more than local interest is the Jardin des Collines (photo) with its large collection of bamboos, roses and hydrangea's etc. This garden and nursery are free to visit but are not a public park, if you don't buy you can express your admiration by leaving a contribution in the collecting box. |
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| Croisette: Marie-Ange's garden | |
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A short distance from Oeuf quite a few interesting gardens can be visited (entrance charge in most cases). Closest is the garden of Marie-Ange Herduin in Croisette (photo) that covers about one hectare and offers a wide horticultural variety. One of the latest extensions was inspired by the Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf (Best in Show, Chelsea Flower Show 2000). See this website for details. |
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| Ramecourt: Antoine Breuvart's nursery | |
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In Ramecourt, close to Saint-Pol, is the nursery of Antoine Breuvart, a specialist in perennials suitable for the local clay-soil. The show garden next to the nursery is used to show possible planting schemes on clay as well as for experiments. See this website for details. |
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| Séricourt: Yves Gosse de Gorre's garden | |
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In my opinion the most beautiful garden of our region is the one by landscape architect Yves Gosse de Gorre in Séricourt (twelve kilometres East from Oeuf). Its splendid situation in a valley adds no little to its beauty but most credits are certainly due to its designer. A very original garden, designed with flair and perfectly executed and maintained. Recent extensions are the rose cathedral (photo) and the warrior garden (photo). With a plant shop. See the extensive website of Yves Gosse de Gorre for details. |
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| Humeroeuille: chateau garden | |
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An interesting garden has been laid out around the chateau in Humeroeille (six kilometres North from Oeuf) with, amongst other features, a maze and several garden rooms (photo). See this website for details. |
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| Boubers sur Canche: nursery Hennebelle | |
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This nursery is the impressive life-work of garden supremo Jean-Pierre Hennebelle who died some years ago. His sons Nicolas and Jean-Loup continue his work and show their enormous collection on four hectares next to the river Canche. Visits other than on weekdays by appointment only. The village of Boubers-sur-Canche -itself certainly worth a visit- is about ten kilometres South of Oeuf. Pépinière Hennebelle, 4 rue Marais, Boubers-sur-Canche, tel 0321037726. |
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| Argoules (Somme): les Jardins de Valloires | |
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Not next door, in another département even, but for garden lovers certainly worth the trip (34 kilometres) are the gardens next to the abbey of Valloires. See the extensive website. Apart from the gardens the monumental abbey itself can be visited. Painting: Rosary at the abbey of Valloires by Anneke Boot. |
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| lost: Jardin des Merveilles in Le Parcq | |
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The by far most spectacular garden of our region is no longer there: the immense park of the castle of (Vieil) Hesdin was lost nearly five hundred years ago in the wake of the destruction of the castle itself and the village of (Vieil) Hesdin. The park had a surface of about eight hundred hectares (currently the community of Le Parcq, hence the name) and was completely walled in. It reached the height of its glory in the possession of the dukes of Burgundy who spared no cost to make it the Versailles of their time. Its features were not just horticultural, it also housed a collection of exotic animals and a great variety of amusement park like diversions. An important attraction were the automatons like the skilfully constructed mechanical 'animals' that could move and sound more or less naturally. Philip III, Duke of Burgundy could even dispose of a mobile dining hall in which he and his guests could dine while touring the park. Of the park virtually nothing is left. As a momento therefore a small medieval garden has been laid out in the centre of Le Parcq (close to the D939), admission is free. Painting: automaton pavillion in the gardens of the castle of (Vieil) Hesdin in 1432. Plan: the park at the castle of (Vieil) Hesdin according to the American art historian Anne van Buren Hagopian (put the cursor on the plan to show the current situation).
See also the website of the historical association of Vieil-Hesdin. |
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| © 2005 - 2010 Rob Zeldenrust, Oeuf-en-Ternois, France. | |
