Historic restoration as mille-feuille
It may be the only time that historic garden conservation has been compared to a flaky French pastry. But use of the term mille-feuille was not the only unusual thing … Continue reading
Paris post-script
My visit to Paris this summer revealed some odd goings-on at the venerable parc Monceau, in the heart of the city. Originally created in the 18th century as a flamboyant … Continue reading
Good in theory
Some landscape designs look great on paper but don’t somehow work out on the ground. Here’s an example from the heart of Paris. The jardin du Carrousel is a 7-hectare … Continue reading
Villandry in winter
Villandry has been called ‘the finest potager in the world.’ For much of the year its beds are a mass of vegetables, from soft herbs and jewelled beetroot to blowsy … Continue reading
Tell-tale signs?
Signage. It sounds the most boring of topics. But in public parks and gardens, signs can make such a difference. Good ones make us feel welcome, confident, wanted. Bad ones leave … Continue reading
A nursery for Le Nôtre
In the 8th arrondissement is a street called rue de la Pépinière, literally the street of the plant nursery. Today it is a busy commercial thoroughfare, with a dedicated Hello … Continue reading
Ferembal House in the Tuileries
This year, the Paris FIAC (a contemporary art fair) includes 28 installations in the Jardins des Tuileries. One of my favourites is the Ferembal House, displayed on the Terrasse des … Continue reading
Nuit Blanche
Tomorrow, October 2nd, is Nuit Blanche in Paris, a city-wide contemporary arts festival that takes place over the course of a single night. Installations, performances and videos will spring up … Continue reading
Trouble at the Tuileries
I have just written an article for Gardens and People on the extraordinary 1990 proposals by Bernard Lassus to reinvent the Jardin des Tuileries. They were an entry in a … Continue reading
Jardins, Jardin aux Tuileries
This weekend is the annual garden festival, Jardins, Jardin aux Tuileries, which takes place in a corner of Le Nôtre’s magnificent park in the middle of Paris. It is tiny … Continue reading
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