Jardin la Pomme d'Ambre - Fréjus

It was five years ago, 23 June 2009, that we last visited 'Jardin la Pomme d'Ambre'.  Although early autumn is a period in which not many plants are in flower, this garden has so many points of interest that you don't miss the lack of flowers.

The owner, Nicole Arboireau, told us that when they built their house 34 years ago, the garden was a blank canvas, apart from the local wild vegetation, a Cork Oak and an Aleppo Pine.  The garden was sloping downwards towards a stream, normally dry, but in wet periods it can become a torrent.

Her husband built the walls (restanques), to prevent the earth from slipping down towards the stream.  When each section of wall was finished, Nicole started planting.  As they were short of money after building their house, all the plants were from seeds or cuttings.  It is hard to imagine looking at the garden today.

Helleborus foetidus, suitable in our area

She used either local Mediterranean plants or plants introduced to the Côte d'Azur during the late 19th and early 20th century from China, Japan and Korea, a few from the Americas, like the palm tree 'Washingtonia', as these plants had proved to be suitable to the local climate.

A good time to visit the garden is after some rain at the end of October right up to February. Several of the roses are in flower at that time of the year. There are 200 roses in the garden, some flowering in autumn and spring, some just in March and April. Nicole only planted old roses, mostly climbers and ramblers, as they are more resistant to diseases. A lot of the roses are Narbonnand roses, a pepinière in the Golf St Juan in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some of these roses are still being sold today.

She has 4 different varieties of Rosa banksiae; 2 whites ones - a single, Rosa banksiae var. normalis and a double one, R. banksiae 'Alba Plena';  2 yellows ones - a single, Rosa banksiae 'Lutescens' and a double,  Rosa banksiae 'Lutea', all available from Pepinière l'Armelette in Sillans la Cascade.

Our tour started around the house.  The house has climbers on the roof as well as on the walls. We asked Nicole if she was not worried they would damage the roof, she answered that the creepers had not caused any problems for the the last 34 years and she could not imagine they would, not in her lifetime.

On the roof: Ipomea purpurea

Some of the climbers: Ipomea purpurea (Common Morning Glory); various varieties of Jasmin, Jasminum azoricum, a yellow flowering - Jasminum mesnyi; Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper); Rosa banksiae; Rosa laevigata; Solanum jasminoides, to name a few.

She planted from seed a Eucalyptus globulus.  In the winter of 1986 it was hit by frost.  She thought it was lost, but it grew from the stump and is now 25 m tall.  A Wisteria is climbing through the Eucalyptus branches right to the top. The peeling bark of the Eucalyptus is shredded finely then spread onto the paths.

Eucalyptus globules with the Wisteria climbing through it

Another tree planted from seed is the Carob Tree, Ceratonia siliqua. It has grown 5 m in 15 years old.  An interesting tree, the pods are a source of carob, a chocolate substitute. The seeds are large and fairly even in size and a constant weight, they were used as the original 'carats' by jewellers.

Ceratonia siliqua

As so many of us, Nicole is experiencing dye-back on her Buxus, she mentioned two different shrubs that could replace Buxus - Lonicera nitida and Myrsine africana.

Following the path down to the stream bed, we came across her collection of ivy's.

Viola hederacea

As we walked along, Nicole cut off the tops of plants and gave us cuttings. She mentioned that on returning home we should first put the cuttings in water, so that they could replenish their thirst, before planting them as cuttings.  I think everyone got a cutting of Bidens 'Pirate Pearl' a creeping white flowering Bidens.

and for those interested, Nicole gave away plants of  Liriope muscari.

Liriope muscari

She is known in the area for collecting used pots.  Not so long ago she received a phone call asking her if she would like 300 used pots. The people delivered the old pots to her house.  Both parties were happy, Nicole got her pots and they cleaned out their garage.

Her ideas are never ending.  One border, the white and cream border, is totally planted with baskets holding spring bulbs.  The baskets are allowed to disintegrate, they will then be replaced.

Apart from Acacia 'Hanbury', with two different type of leaves on the same branch, an entire and a pinnated leaf, there is a Acacia retinodes, commonly known as 'Mimosa des Quatre Saisons' now in flower and Acacia karoo, with it sharp spines.

Acacia (Mimosa) 'Hanbury'

We passed an old 'Lavoir', a wash-house with wash boards.  When Nicole came across it, it reminded her of how her mother used to wash the family's laundry in a the lavoir near where she grew up in Fréjus.  It was a 'must' for her to introduce it into her garden.  She then hung up a washing line with 'turn of the century laundry', changed every year.

There were many Salvia's growing in the garden, quite a few of them in flower.  We all got a cutting of Salvia confertifolia, a large orange coloured Salvia and the beautiful large blue Salvia guaranitica.

Salvia guaranitica on the right, difficult to see

In addition there were:  Salvia buchananii (bright pink and hairy), Salvia miniata (red flowering, Salvia neurepia (pinky-red), Salvia involucatra (bright pink with white tips, Salvia mexicana (blue flowering and Salvia patens.

Salvia patens

Most of us were given a large seed of a tree, Lagunaria patersonia.  The seed has a nasty, hairy skin, a bit like a cactus.  We were advised to dry out the seed and then plant the seeds. Hopefully some of us will be successful.

Lagunaria patersonia in seed

Lagunaria patersonia in flower

A new arbour was simply constructed by using 4 strong posts, fastened between the posts, horizontally and vertically,  an iron mesh (same mesh used when laying concrete flooring). Abutilon megapotamicum was planted at intervals to eventually cover the arbour.

Lespedeza thunbergii, as it matures over summer, tends to hang its branches.  Nicole has a perfect solution, she planted it on a restanque, so it could hang over to next restanque.

Lespedeza thunbergii hanging over one of the restanques

This was not the only Abutilon in the garden.  A few people got a cutting of Abutilon pictum, an orange flowering Abutilon with a variegated leaf.

Abutilon 'Boule de Neige'

An alternative to grass is Lippia nodiflora, with small pinkish-white flowers.  For those interested, I've seen it for sale in l'Armelette.

Lippia nodiflora

We are all familiar with the cultivated Oleander, but I think few of us knew that there is a native Oleander, Nerium oleander, which is protected and is not allowed to be chopped down.

Pavonia hastata was in flower, a shrub with Poppy like flowers.

Pavonia hastata

After our tour around the garden it was time for our picnic.  Nicole offered her dining room table for our dishes. She mentioned that she had never seen a picnic like ours, such a spread. We had our lunch on the terrace, protected from the rain, which had started just after we finished the tour of the garden.

Nicole Arboireau and her husband joining us for the picnic

Thanks to Jacqueline for our menu and Elisabeth and Isabel for the photos.

Le Château de Lourmarin - Château Val Joanis

16 of us made our way to Lourmarin in the Vaucluse to visit in the morning Château de Lourmarin, with lunch in Lourmarin and in the afternoon a re-visit, last visit was in June 2011, to the potager and garden in Château Val Joanis.

The Château of Lourmarin is only a short distance away from the village of Lourmarin.

Originally built in the 12th century as a fortress, it was transformed in the 15th century by the chamberlain of King René I of Anjou.  By adding an annex in 1526, the new owners made it the first Renaissance building in the Provence.  After the French Revolution the Château descended into ruins till 1921 when it was bought by Robert Laurent Vibert, a producer of cosmetics.  With the help of Henri Pacon, an architect, he restored the castle.  Unfortunately he died in a car accident in 1925.  He left the Château to the Académie of Sciences, Agriculture, Arts and Belles Lettres in Aix en Provence with the proviso that it would be transformed into a trust to support young artists.

The Foundation developed the library, it now holds 28.000 books and documents.  During the year concerts and conferences are organised and each summer it welcomes young artists (painters, sculptors, musicians, authors and researchers.  They stay at the Château and receive a grant to be able to concentrate on their work.

As you enter the Château a colourful display of roses around a bassin with waterlillies and a sculpture (Reflexsun) by Christophe Bricard attracts your attention.

Lovely views from the courtyard:

 

Several Anduze pots filled with Geraniums are dotted along the court yard.

On our way to the entrance to the tower, we passed a bed of magnificent Dahlias.  Behind the Dahlias, Ipomoea indica (blue flowering Morning Glory).

The first room to visit is the Dining Room with 3 original beams near the old fireplace.

All along the walls are engravings of Rome by Giovanni Battista Piranese (1770-1778).  Goethe, having seen the engravings by Piranese, was disappointed when he visited Rome, it was nothing like the engravings.  An Aubusson tapestry (only 2 vegetable dyes were used, blue-green and brown) adorns the walls.  A showcase with Murano glassware and a large Delft Blue vase.

The kitchen with furniture of N.E. France.  Gleaming copper ware, an old Biot olive oil jar in the corner of the fireplace.

An incredible spiral staircase leads to the floors above, next the Ladies Bedroom

Further up the staircase we pass another bedroom similar in style to the ladies bedroom, and right on top is the music room with several pianos, harpsichord, drums and oriental instruments hanging on the walls.

After our visit we had some time to visit Lourmarin.  Lots of tempting shops.  Most of us had lunch at Restaurant 'La Recreation', before setting off to Val Joanis.

After lunch we made our way to Château Val Joanis, 1.5 km outside Pertuis.  It is a 400 ha. estate of which 100 ha is planted with vines.  It was once owned by Jean de Joanis, secretary to King Louis III of Naples.

After being neglected for many years Val Joanis was bought in 1977 by the Chancel family.  Cécile Chancel with the help of architect, Tobbie Loup de Viane, decided in 1978 to create a potager that resembled château potagers of the 18th century.  Ornamental but at the same time producing all the family's vegetables, fruits and flowers.


They started the project in 1980, it was finished in 1990.  In 2005 the potager received the honour of being chosen as a 'Jardin Remarquable' and in 2008 it became 'Jardin de l'année 2008. In 2011 the château was sold to a German/Dutch couple, the family Rosen.

The garden is divided up into 3 terraces:
The potager.
Roses and other trained fruit.
Ornamental trees and shrubs.

Punica granatum 'Flore Pleno' a flowering pomegranate

As you enter the potager area, on the left hand side, a metal frame work with horizontal and vertical struts is hiding an unsightly wall.  Pyracantha is trained along the struts.  Rather a good idea.

The potager is divided into beds, between the beds are paths.  The soil in the potager is covered with ground cocoa shells.  The advantages are:

1. It suppresses weeds and retains moisture.  Once it has been watered or rained upon, it forms a crust binding the cocoa shells.
2. The rich colour contrasts well with the green foliage of the plants.
3. It repels slugs and snails.

Every bed in the potager is surrounded by either a small hedge or panels of iron rods (3m long x 30 cm high ) on poles stuck into the ground.

They used quite a variety of plants as hedges, all clipped to the desired height:
Buxes sempervirens (Common Box).
Buxes sempervirens 'Elegantissima' (with a narrow white margin).
Elaeagnus x ebbingei.
Phillyrea angustifolia.
Pistachia lentiscus.
Quercus ilex (our common evergreen oak).

To give form to the potager tall clipped trees were used:
Corylus maxima 'purpurea' (purple leaved hazel).
Laurus nobilis (Bay-leaf) in the shape of obelisks.
Taxus baccata (Yew) idem dito.
Ostrya carpinifolia (Hop hornbeam) clipped into tall panels.
Parrotia persica (normally it grows up to 8 m, with a spread of 10 m).
Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta', Italian cypres tree.
Espalier apple and pear trees at various heights.

Some grasses:
Miscanthus sinensis.
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'.

For decorative purposes and special colourful effects, they planted long rows of:
Bupleurum fruticosum
Caryopteris (green and silver leaved varieties)
Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'

Gaura lindheimeri (white variety)
Indigofera
Inula magnifica

Lagerstroemia
Lavandula  angustifolia and intermedia (Lavander and Lavandin)
Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
Rudbeckia 'Herbstsonne'
Vernonia crinita

Vitex agnus-castus

In amongst the clipped hedges, central partitions, shrubs and perennials; herbs, vegetables and small fruit bushes (red currants, black currants etc.) were grown.

Most of the roses lining the rose tunnel are spring flowering varieties, now finished flowering.

At the moment the most striking colourful feature are the lavenders in bloom.

Photographs: Kelvin Crawford