Garden Party!

One more Chateau to visit in the Loire Valley was Chateau Villandry, a very pretty, and very French styled Chateau built in 1536.

The huge urn of red flowers in the white courtyard was striking!

As pretty as this chateau was on the outside, it was cozy and friendly inside.  Each paneled room was painted in a different sherbet hue.

The dining room was delicious!  It looked like a cupcake!

An every view was, well,... we'll get to that.

My favorite room was the rustic cozy kitchen with the copper pots and roasting spit in the huge fireplace.  The bread, vegetables, and flowers were all gorgeous and all fresh!

Who wouldn't want a slice of that crusty bread?

In the corner a huge bread paddle leans against a rack of onions, garlic, and shallots.  

But the windows kept inviting us outdoors.

The gorgeous staircase takes us upstairs.

I love the details on the gabled windows.

This covered bathtub allowed the bather privacy with a room full of servants. How discreet. The brass pitcher brought hot water.

There were gorgeous fresh flower arrangements everywhere.  Gee, I wonder where they got all those flowers.

Mom admires some tapestries on the walls, but I an drawn to the graphic floors.

One room was dominated by a Moorish gold ceiling.  Incredible!

Another pretty painted bedroom.  Look at the clouds on the ceiling.

This child's bed is in a cozy little nook.

A small playroom has a puppet theater and a dollhouse  sized version of the Chateau.  I want to play!

I absolutely loved the interiors of this beautiful Chateau.  They were so warm and inviting, and each made me think "I could live here."  Not the cold austere castle one would expect, but a friendly family home.

That being said, the real beauty of Villandry, what this Chateau is really famous for...

are the spectacular gardens that fill our view from each and every window.

To get the full effect, we need to climb the narrow winding staircase of the tower, called the Keep.

Look out at the horizon for panoramic views of the Loire Valley.

But the most spectacular views are the ones down below!

Impressed by those flower beds?  Guess what?  Those aren't flowers.  This, my friend is a Vegetable garden.  Vegetables!!!

The vegetable garden is set in a checkerboard grid of nine elaborate, colorful, and geometric squares.  Who would have thought that veggies could be so colorful and ornamental?

Beyond the Vegetable garden is an herb garden and a labyrinth of hedges.

Around the corner of the Chateau is the exceptional ornamental garden.  The box hedges are perfectly manicured, and the bright vincas remind me of stained glass.

Called the "Love garden"  the different squares represent Tender Love, Passionate Love, Fickle Love, and Tragic love."

I half expect the Queen of Hearts to to be tripping through this garden.

Purely Magical!

Across the canal is the Music garden, filled with aromatic lavender, and boxwood cut in the shape of musical notes, lyres, and the like.

The Chateau was purchased in the early 1900s by a Spaniard and his American wife.  The gardens were their idea and their life work.  Their great-grandson still owns the Chateau.

The canal and pool beyond provide all the water for the plants and fountains, and become the moat at the base of the chateau.

We leave the Chateau and walk along the belvedere, a walkway the runs along the hill overlooking the gardens.  

More breathtaking views!

The oldest part of the chateau, the medieval Keep, dates from the 12th century.

There is something amazing to see everywhere you look.

I love this shot!

The "Water Garden" is a peaceful place amid a riot of color.

The labyrinth had no wrong turns - just follow the path and you'll find your way to the small overlook at the center.

Made it!

Almost there Dennis.  Hang in there!

The town of Villandry just beyond the wall.

This picture shouts "FRANCE!"

Walking among the lavender terraces was pure heaven!

An arbor-covered walkway surrounding the gardens is laden with plump grapes.

I couldn't resist.

In the dappled sunlight, the grapes seemed to almost glow from within.

As you get closer, you can see that those really are vegetables - a geometrical salad.

I want a veggie garden like this!

Can't you just smell the parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme in the herb garden?

Mom stops near the pumpkin patch to take it all in.

That is Dennis over there, tiptoeing through the turnips.

See that big pumpkin peeking thorough?

Beatrice Potter would be pleased I think.

At the edges of each square stood pear trees laden with the most humongous fleshy pears!

Dad wanted me to take a picture of this arbor so he could build a copy in his own yard.

I'm not sure what they do with all this beautiful produce, but when we were there, there was a crate of rich green bell peppers under the eves of one of the outbuildings with a sign that we translated to read "help yourself to a few."  Of course, we don't read French too well, but we helped ourselves to a few anyway.  Hope that was OK?

I thought those spiky yellow chilies looked like flames.

The blush of a few roses gave a bit of height and variety to the vegetable garden.

The Gardens of Villandry were a spectacular wonder, and we enjoyed every colorful aromatic moment we were there.  If anything would inspire you to get your fingers into the soil and start a veggie garden of your own, this certainly would!

Who knew a vegetable garden could be so gorgeous?

If you haven't guessed it already, Villandry was my very favorite Chateau - inside and, most certainly, out.  It is so... ME!  

I'd place my bid right now (just as long as I get to keep the gardener.)