Le Jardin Plume in Normandy

October 20, 2011 by outofmyshed

I can’t remember if it was the great signage or the satnav that brought us to the glorious Jardin Plume,

seemingly springing-up from nowhere in the middle of surrounding fields.

After a rainy drive down, the skies started to clear as I wandered through the tempting nursery area into the orchard of the main garden.

What hits you first is the sense of space, which affords the opportunity to plant a whole series of large beds which in turn create rhythms throughout the garden.

Nine separate gardens are planted to perform at their best at different times of the year, and arriving in mid September, the Autumn garden was a dream to enter into. I almost felt hugged by the plants as I slowly wandered amongst the swaying grasses, gazed at the Persicarias (in all shapes and sizes), marveled at oodles of Verbena bonariensis and took in the heady scent of and glowing wands of Cimifuga atropurpurea. There’s a lot packed into this garden! Visiting a friend’s garden in Walthamstow recently, at over 6ft tall, he explained that he liked to plant huge grasses and other large plants as he like the sense of feeling small and contained. I think he would love to be in this garden.

Surrounded by curvy hornbeam hedging, the garden is created as small blocks within a larger block. Each block has its own mini theme which in turn ties in to a larger theme.

The result is lush,

and joyous,

floriferous,

and playful,

and full of bees and butterflies. I loved it.

Tearing myself away from the Autumn garden, there was plenty more to see, with a strong sense of design running throughout the gardens. The spring garden was packed with Astrantias in their second flush amongst huddles of sensuous box balls-

clipped to perfection.

From spring to summer was a tad more of the formal side, with box hedging containing hot reds and yellows tempered by more varieties of grasses.

All gardens lead back to the calm and spacious orchard where you can sit back and take time to enjoy this thoughtful garden.

Being an ardent veg grower, I was rather disappointed to find that the potager was no longer a potager,

but did appreciate the riot of colour that was offered up instead of fruit and veg,

and more stylish seating to take a moment or two to soak up the wonderful planting.

Passing through the ‘potager’, you arrive at another quiet contemplative area, where swathes of Miscanthus gently nod in the breeze and offer to hug again.

And finally, as you leave, you pass through the nursery again.

Le Jardin Plume have started to build up a number of their own plant varieties from over the years and Sylvie delighted in showing me this very elegant white Aster ‘Dentelle de Constance’, which is still going through its trial period.

This delicate yet vibrant Euphorbia will be on sale in the nursery come spring,

and I couldn’t resist buying a couple of Succisa pratensis (Devil’s bit scabious) which looked so wonderful with the late Asters in the autumn garden. This is my first visit to Le Jardin Plume, but hopefully I’ll be back again soon to see how it changes throughout the seasons.

Posted in Gardens to visit, Gardens to visit in France, Hedging, Perennials, Persicaria orientalis, Plant combinations, Plant Nurseries, Scented, Sun loving plants | Tagged Anenome Honorine Jobert, Artemesia lactiflora, Asters, Autumn colour, Autumn flowering plants, autumn garden, bees and butterflies, box hedging., Calamagrostis brachytrica, Cimifuga atropurpurea, Colourful planting, France, French gardens to visit, Garden nursery in Normandy, garden seating, Gardening blog, Gardens to visit oin Autumn, Le Jardin Plume, Miscanthus, Orchards, reds and yellows, rhythmic gardens, Succisa pratensis, swaying grasses, Verbena bonariensis | 30 Comments

30 Responses

on October 20, 2011 at 4:32 pm | Reply elaine rickett

What a wonderful garden – I love the ‘loose’ planting style, right up my street.
on October 20, 2011 at 5:37 pm | Reply Veronica Peerles

WOW! Really envious. Will definitely put that one on my list!
on October 20, 2011 at 6:37 pm | Reply sarah

I’m glad I took time to go on that journey round Le Jardin Plume – relaxing and fun at the same time. I particularly like the box balls…….
on October 20, 2011 at 6:50 pm | Reply outofmyshed

Elaine, Veronica and Sarah-thanks for lovely comments-This garden is really worth a visit and looking forward to seeing it again, possibly in spring. Sarah-loved the box balls too, if only I had the space-have already got rid of the lawn….Naomi
on October 20, 2011 at 7:52 pm | Reply Sue

I love that miscanthus and it looks especially good next to the decking. And yes it would be fascinating to see it in another season.
- on October 20, 2011 at 9:26 pm | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Sue, I love the use of Miscanthus en masse too. I think this is one of Le Jardin Plume’s own varieties too.
on October 20, 2011 at 7:55 pm | Reply Nicolette

Gorgeous! I knew Normandy was the place for great gardens. Where exactly is this?
- on October 20, 2011 at 9:27 pm | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Nicolette, very good question! Le Jardin Plume is 20km East of Rouen and here’s their website address-now in the blog too. http://lejardinplume.com/
on October 20, 2011 at 9:07 pm | Reply Louise Adams

We are creating a garden in the south of France (near Carcassonne) which is a real challenge for an ‘English gardener’ whose previous garden was in Oxfordshire. Wish we had bought a house in Normandy now seeing this amazing garden. I particularly loved the box balls, the pool and orchard and the seating. Will definitely try to visit this garden. Any tips for our hot, dry southern garden will be gratefully received.
- on October 20, 2011 at 9:37 pm | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Hi Louise, Haven’t been this far south in a long while, but really different growing conditions to Oxfordshire indeed! I’d start off by visiting as many other local gardens as possible to see what thrives best in your new climate. No doubt you could grow some of the exotics on Colin’s guest blog https://outofmyshed.co.uk/2011/08/04/guest-blog-semi-hardy-plants-to-try-from-cornwall/ And if you like the box balls, you’ll like this http://www.french-gardens.com/gardens/la-louve.php Will also keep my eyes open for S. of France and N. Spain gardens for you-an exciting challenge for an English Gardener. Good luck! Naomi p.s. Saw this link and thought this might be helpful http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardenstovisit/3349249/Hidden-gardens-of-southern-France.html
on October 20, 2011 at 10:10 pm | Reply Viveka

Its such a wonderful garden. Än your pictures are just so beautiful. Hope everything is ok with you. And dpo bring your camera and visit Sweden soon.
- on October 21, 2011 at 7:51 am | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Thanks for your comments Viveka. Would definitely like to go to visit some Swedish gardens next year! Any recommendations? Naomi
on October 21, 2011 at 10:15 am | Reply Louise Adams

Naomi, many thanks for your reply and helpful links. Maybe you could visit our garden one day when it’s established! As you enjoy veg gardening, you may be interested that we also have a large potager which we are now getting organised after years of neglect. Louise
- on October 21, 2011 at 2:40 pm | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Louise, Look forward to visiting when all established, and nothing excites me more than a good potager. Infact, a tad envious of your large potager, although, no doubt it will take a bit of hard work too! Happy nurturing. V.best Naomi
on October 24, 2011 at 4:31 am | Reply Wife Mother Gardener

Beautiful garden! I so enjoyed the plantings you featured, particularly the ones with the Cimicifuga and the box balls.
on October 25, 2011 at 9:44 am | Reply kate

How very beautiful – those grasses are wonderful, but it is a shame the potager has gone (though there’s compensation)… I’m in love – I want Succisa pratensis too!
on October 25, 2011 at 3:33 pm | Reply outofmyshed

Dear WMG, Yes, those box balls are certainly an idea I’d like to create/steal when I have the larger garden of my dreams-fabulous all year structure with the gorgeous addition of Astrantias-still have Astrantias flowering for the second time at the moment too in my garden.
Kate-I fell in love with the Succisa pratensis too. Another ‘see-through’ plant akin to Verbena bonariensis and great for attracting bees as well. Probably available from wildflower nurseries (Crocus have sold out for this year I noticed) and also available as seed from Chilterns http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item.php?id=1147E
on November 1, 2011 at 8:58 am | Reply Abbey Saint Georges de Boscherville in Normandy « Out of my shed

[…] certainly worth a visit just east of Rouen are Les Jardins d’Angelique and Le Jardin Plume (to read the Jardin Plume Blog click here) . LD_AddCustomAttr("AdOpt", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Origin", "other"); […]
on January 14, 2012 at 10:02 am | Reply Sensaround scent from Sarcococcas « Out of my shed

[…] and waving wands of Actaea Simplex (aka Cimifuga atropurpurea) as I entered into the magical Jardin Plume last year. These should flower well into October […]
on August 2, 2012 at 9:17 am | Reply Tiziana Sanna

What a show!!! *-*
I love too much your blog that I found only today!
Hugs!
Titty
- on August 2, 2012 at 11:35 am | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Thanks Tiziana! Yes, hopefully might visit again later this year. Can’t wait.
on September 1, 2013 at 7:37 pm | Reply tim

any idea what the grass is in the first pic in the square boarder and also the miscanthus behind the sun longer? they look amazing.
- on September 2, 2013 at 6:38 am | Reply outofmyshed
  
  Hi Tim, the grass in the first pic is Calamagrostis brachytricha I think. I seem to remember (distantly, so this may not be correct), that the Miscanthus with the loungers may be one of Jardin Plume’s own introductions. Could be wrong there, but I’ll be visiting again in the next couple of weeks (hurrah!), so I’ll be sure to ask and get back to you on my return. Funnily enough there was an article in the Telegraph recently about Jardin plume too. V.best Naomi
  - on September 2, 2013 at 6:43 am outofmyshed
    
    Oops, Calamagrostis is in fist pic, but not the square borders,. Will ask what these grasses are too when I’m there.
  - on September 2, 2013 at 10:28 am tim
    
    thanks for the link, looking through the pics from there theyve named the miscanthus – ” the taller varieties ‘Silberfeder; and ‘Grosse Fontane’ and the shorter M yakushimensis.”
    
    …i wouldnt have guessed they were those varieties.
    
    I still have no idea what the grass edging the square bed is, it’s definitely brachytricha in the pic below. it almost looks like some sort of eragrostis african love grass but i dont think it is though.
on October 10, 2013 at 4:39 pm | Reply Jardin Plume revisited | Out of my shed

[…] last time I visited Jardin Plume was 2 years ago and although most of the structure remains the same, the planting, especially in the flower and […]
on November 8, 2013 at 11:03 am | Reply Salvia involucrata ‘Bethellii’ | Out of my shed

[…] airy Calamagrostis brachytrichum, Asters and the kinky white wands of Actaea atropurpurea in the Jardin Plume in Normandy. Dreaming of summer all over […]
on November 26, 2015 at 10:58 am | Reply Inspiration at Les Jardins Agapanthe (part 1) | Out of my shed

[…] P.s. And you could also visit Le Jardin Plume (above). […]
on July 2, 2016 at 12:05 pm | Reply Great Dixter in June | Out of my shed

[…] giant fennels and teasels). (Should you be heading towards Normandy for your holidays, then Jardin Plume also has some very inspiring planting with […]
on March 20, 2020 at 6:58 am | Reply Galerie d'idées de Jardin • Lushviz.com

[…] source: outofmyshed.co.uk […]