Friday, March 30, 2018

Parc André Citroën, deuxième partie

Yesterday began our visit to Parc André Citroën, let's pick up where we left off...

How do you feel about the shaped Magnolias? My big concern is do they bloom? What's the point if you're giving up the blooms?

Looking back across a corner of the great lawn. I didn't know it when I took this photo, but what lies beyond those imposing rectangular "red" hedges is fabulous. We'll get there in a bit.
First we're going to explore those greenhouses!
Or not. THOSE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN!!!
There were fabulous plants inside and I was locked out.
I tried EVERY SINGLE DOOR.

It was not a holiday and the park was listed as "open"....why people!? WHY??!!

I am disappointed, but I move on.

This blackbird had a lovely song.
And now we're behind those big rectangular hedges.

These are the "two sets of small gardens: the six "Serial Gardens", each with a distinct landscape and architectural design" mentioned yesterday in the intro.

We walked above them, enjoying the view but not needing to be in them.
On the other side of the walkway we were on were more pavilions, which I'm sure would have normally been open. Of course they were not, during our visit.

The architecture across the street seemed to be designed to match.

Another garden.

This one we walked down to.

Looking out across the great lawn...

And walking into another garden.

Another non-functioning water feature.
Slate? It was slippery.

Lovely Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), and with that our visit to Parc André Citroën is over. I still have lots of Paris to share though!

Weather Diary, March 29: Hi 61, Low 37/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden (dg). Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

18 comments:

  1. "I am disappointed, but I move on." -- that about sums up the daily mantra! These are some amazing public spaces on a grand scale. I wonder if some of the early DS model Citroens are tucked away on the grounds somewhere-- such a cool car.

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    1. I tried to find any mention of actual cars as part of the garden but came up empty.

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  2. The locked doors would have bummed me too! But wow what great garden spaces.. the scale looks massive.

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  3. I can imagine you going door to door, trying to get in, and becoming more frustrated with each denial. Maybe the greenhouses open when the crowds of garden visitors return in spring? The giant glass boxes look rather like an art installation to me and, in that regard, very French. The gardens behind the hedges were great, though. I especially liked the first one. Were those artichokes (or perhaps cardoons)?

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    1. Yes they were artichokes or cardoons, but I never can tell which is which.

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  4. It must have been a treat to be able to both look down and walk in the gardens. Sorry the closed pavilions were a disappointment but with so much to see and do in Paris, moving on would be relatively easy.

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    1. The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile and the Champs-Élysées were next on that day's schedule, so you're right, easy to do!

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  5. I've loved seeing this park. If I ever go to Paris, it'll be on my list!

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  6. Many different styles that nonetheless seem cohesive. I wonder if the greenhouses only meant to be observed from the outside... seems silly and definitely frustrating. FYI: my own Acanthus is mostly mush in winter.

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    1. I read somewhere about being able to go inside the greenhouses, but then again I suppose things do change. My Acanthus stays pretty solid, except for in the coldest winters. Do you ever have it disappear in the summer? Mine usually does.

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  7. The French do have a thing for torturing plants into submission. Plenty of naturally columnar species could have served in those first photos. Glad to see a certain amount of more naturalistic designs creeping in...and those greenhouses...WOW!

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  8. Very French. Must be quite dazzling in May or so, but then also crammed with humans.

    Thank you for the tour. I get to see the gardens of Paris from the comfort of my couch!

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    1. It's much cheaper that way! (glad to help)

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  9. I love this garden. I am a sucker for all that pruning and formality. I think if you prune magnolias right after flowering, you won't harm the buds which haven't set. So I am guessing they may be a column of blooms in the spring. But the buds are there over winter so you would really have to prune at the perfect moment.

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    1. Okay a column of blooms would be fabulous, I must admit.

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  10. I love the cardoon foliage in the first serial garden. I wonder if it looks that good in the PNW in winter. And the acanthus looks so lush and beautiful. Thus far, mine has been deciduous, but I think mine is spinosa, so maybe that's why? That or my colder location.

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