Somehow after our summer holiday I just didn’t get to writing about Prieuré D’Orsan, but you may well have caught a glimpse of this gorgeous boutique hotel/garden (in Central France) on Monty’s visit for the BBC earlier this year.
This image just hasn’t left my head though, and I’ve been wondering if my wayward Solanum (scrambling up the back of the house) would take to being trained in a similar fashion. Probably not, probably a bit too loose and gangly (even if I could make it up the ladder to trim it). But I’d love to have a go at repeating the almost 2D simplicity of this heart-somewhere!There’s so much fantastic training and shaping going on at Prieuré D’Orsan. Nature has been constricted, controlled and cajoled, creating a myriad of desirable sculptural forms, whilst still providing an abundance of fruit. Quite remarkable, especially as this garden was a blank canvas only 20 years ago.
I thought I was getting a bit fancy with my attempt at training a quince tree into a fan shape, but this amazing specimen has been trained as a calming retreat over a woven chair. How bloomin’ delightful is that!
Here’s a side view, with more evidence of fruit actually being produced, ready to be plucked after a nice shady sit-down.
Visiting later in the year meant that I didn’t get to see most of the roses in flower, but I did see plenty of ideas to take away with me.
Whatever the structure, roses are twirled and twisted and this is certainly a way of training that I plan to experiment more with next year.
This ‘Seagull’ rose is a fairly rampant rambler, reaching up to 20ft high if left to its own devices,
but curling and crossing stems should supply masses of flowers within this tightly contained framework. All very labour intensive, but what a labour of love (and devotion!). I was watching Carol Klein’s cottage garden episode on the Great British Garden Revival last night (you can catch up with it here), and I must admit to being a complete sucker for loose edges and flowing ebullient borders. Compared to such gentle cottagey planting, there’s a severity to this garden (with more than a nod to its monastic past) that made me wander round in a respectful hush and a contemplative mood.
However, the supports and sculptural additions to the garden are bold and strangely playful and rather uplifting in their simple restraint.
Having said all that, there was a mini (well not that mini!) meadow tucked around the back behind the hotel, bringing in essential pollinators and a refreshing splash of colour.
The veg patch was, not surprisingly, well-ordered and contained too,
and I couldn’t help admire the chunky beds and generous supports, packed full of glossy healthy veg.
On the way out, you can pick up your own beautifully crafted rose supports,
and admire yet more trained fruit trees,vines
and even the odd invitation to nature. Prieuré D’Orsan-I’ll be back!
Brilliant review Naomi x
Thanks Lisa!! XN
I do enjoy getting these blogs…… this one is lovely…….thank you!
Hi Hilary-Fay, Delighted you enjoyed the post. It is a spectacular garden!
As another sucker for “loose edges and ebullient borders”, I found this green discipline wth quirky touches very seductive. I wonder, though, whether it needs more sun and warmth than we have in England to succeed.
Hi Susan , very seductive indeed! If you get a chance to visit West Dean, Nr Chichester, you’ll see some amazing trained fruit trees in the UK too. Very different in style as it’s a walled kitchen garden, but v.enjoyable to visit with plenty of wow factor too.
Dear Naomi
What a beautiful garden with some lovely ideas. I enjoyed Carol’s cottage gardens too and like the ebullience, but there is something very satisfying about structure with ebullience around it. I really like the rose supports – practical but beautiful too. Thank you for sharing your visit.
Best wishes
Ellie
Thanks Ellie, I love all the craft that’s woven into this garden too.
Fabulous post…I have an apricot still young enough to do something with…the seat looks amazing…thanks.
Hi Sue, Do let me know how it all progresses. Have added a few more seat pics too.
Some wonderful structures there, and I love that tree-shaded bower. Wonder how many years it took to train that! Love the look, but not a fan of the amount of work involved in keeping it up. What a great place to stay though.
That’s a good point Janet. I saw a few gardeners about when I was there, but not sure how many work full time. Definitely not a low maintenance garden, but amazing what you can achieve.
What a wonderful place to spend time and be inspired! I can quite see why a return trip would be on your wish list; a garden visit is always better for being able to take away ideas. For me, I particularly like the cosmos and courgette combo! (Although the quince tree is, obviously, magnificent.) Thanks for the peek!
Hi Caro, I did visit once before a few years ago and have been wanting to return ever since. It’s amazing how you can take different things away from a garden each time you visit. Not sure when I’ll be back again, but I know I won’t be disappointed, whenever that is….
Love the tree shaded seat. It gave me that little fizz of inspiration, and that fateful thought “It can’t be THAT difficult can it ?” The seed is sown !
Lovely garden, would love to have a wander, one day…
Hi Jane, Glad to have sown a seed!!
This looks wonderful. I feel the need for a trip to France coming on…
I feel like that every year!! Having said that, I really also want to make a special effort to visit more UK gardens this year too. List already started (but any suggestions welcome)! X
All very inspiring and as you say aspirational stuff!
gorgeous place I didn’t know about, but the French do have real style don’t they!
love
Fern
ZFull Frontal Gardens – Finala
http://www.fullfrontal.org.uk
Hi Fern, Yes, I love visiting gardens when in France (and Sweden and Britain….)! X
It does look a gorgeous place to visit. I remember chatting with Arabella Sock about it, they also got chance to stop there. They were lucky enough to have the place to themselves when they stopped and said that the owner was a character. Perhaps Wellywoman and I should plan a whole french tour for next year. 🙂
Hi PL, Can’t go wrong with a French tour, with delicious food and wine an added bonus! I’ve still got more gardens to visit in France on my list…..
[…] Out of my shed skriver om ett besök på ett franskt hotell med trädgård – Notre-Dame d’Orsan – och jag vill genast åka […]
love the new photos of the seats…especially the one with the view.
Glad you like them Sue. Good luck with the apricot!
Great post and AWESOME photos as always!
Many thanks Belmont Rooster!
The French prune and train in such a beautiful way. Part of me admires the discipline and part of me wants it all to be wild and unruly. This looks such a wonderful place to visit, great post as always.
Thanks Julie! Yes, I do appreciate the formality, but love the unkempt look of less regimented gardens too. Hats off to the gardeners though for their fantastic skills in creating such productive specimens!
Oh now that has gone straight to the top of the must visit list Naomi! Off forthwith to see whether Monty wrote about it in his book.
Hi Anna, I know he visited, but did he write about it? Happy New Year! N x
The controlled randomness is awe inspiring. Thank you for sharing with me. Ben
Glad you enjoyed the post. It really is a truly memorable garden (and I will visit hopefully again in the future!). V.best Naomi
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