greentapestry : A Seaside Garden

Tuesday 18 August 2009

A Seaside Garden

E IS FOR ?



LE JARDIN EXOTIQUE!

For once supermarket shopping took priority over garden visiting on the last day of our holiday. Armed with a list of must have essentials himself and I lingered in the supermarket aisles - something which we do not normally do on home ground, where himself needs gentle coaxing to even cross the threshold. However once that important task had been completed, I am glad to say that we had time for a garden visit. We had made our way to Roscoff to catch a ferry back to England the next morning. Le Jardin Exotique de Roscoff is within close distance of the ferry terminal where we planned on parking up the campervan overnight. We had visited the garden before but in the early autumn. So here was an ideal chance to see the garden in August. This is a botanical garden which was founded in 1987. It contains no fewer than 3,000 species of plants from the southern hemisphere. They grow happily here as there is a favourable micro climate (Roscoff being surrounded by the sea on two sides) as well as the benign influence of the Gulf Stream. The garden is perched on a granite rock mass and there are some marvellous views over the area particularly from this vantage point ~



Although most of the other visitors were speaking English we still felt we we were a long way from home in this garden with its lush planting. It was a somewhat overcast and humid day but when the sun broke through the clouds it felt decidedly tropical. There were many trees and succulents that I am not familiar with but labeling was not consistent throughout the garden so I was none the wiser :)









There were a number of ponds, one of which is inhabited by some turtles who most obligingly surfaced to have their photo taken ~





There were some plants that I am familiar with. Throughout the garden agapanthus both blue and white grew in profusion as did watsonias and kniphofias.

Watsonia and agapanthus ~



Crinum ~



Sadly the garden could do with some more attention in some places as there were some rather weedy and under planted patches. However all in all it is a pleasant spot to while away an hour or so. As you head towards the exit there is a nursery area offering a good selection of plants grown within the garden. I treated myself to a white flowering plumbago and a little cutting of a shrub by the name of polygala myrtifolia ~



There is another exotic garden in the area on the nearby Ile De Batz - one for a visit at some point in the future hopefully. The next afternoon though we found ourselves on the other side of the water in what is going to be an absolutely stupendous garden - report to follow soon.

Enjoy more posts on the letter E over at ABC Wednesday !

18 comments:

  1. How exotically beautiful. I love flowers, both cultivated and wild!

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  2. What a great find Anna and I can't wait for your next installment :)

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  3. Orange ones in the 3rd picture are Bulbinella - very rewarding. Polygala's common name is September bush - just coming into flower now.

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  4. What a beautiful garden, Anna, I so enjoyed strolling through it with you...

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  5. Lovely spot. I can see myself sitting down somewhere and writing a poem.

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  6. thank you for the tour of the lovely garden.

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  7. A delightfully lovely place - I enjoyed my visit through your words and lens!

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  8. Very exotic, I love the pond. Seems like you're always finding interesting places on your travels.

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  9. Very exotic and quite lovely. Great choice for the letter E.

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  10. The last Jardin Exotique we visited is Monaco. I had the same feeling of out in another world. thanks for sharing.

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  11. It looks great, similar to how I imagine Tresco looking, another on my must visit list. Thanks for sharing

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  12. This could have been Cornwall except for the turtle! Lovely pictures! Val

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  13. What a lovely garden, and what obliging turtles.

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  14. Hi - I've just discovered your blog through the Artists Garden and noticed straight away this posting about the Jardin Exotique... we live in northern Brittany near to Dinan and infact it's one garden I've not been to - there are however loads of other really nice ones in this area if you're ever over this way again and want some suggestions! Love the photos by the way and think that it will have to go higher up my list of priorities now! Miranda

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  15. Wow, what a wonderful garden! I love the turtle, and that view of the rocks and winding stairs reminds me very much of a similar view of the Betty Ford Alpine Garden in Colorado. :)

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.