Prieure d'orsan -  Loire Valley, France

We will be visiting Boussac a little later this year and as always, visiting the garden at Prieure d'orsan.   I looked back at my post on this garden and thought it might be quite a good idea to re-post it as I would love more people to know about this wonderful garden.  So for those who have already read it - apologies and for those who haven't,  hope it inspires you to visit!  Read more about the Garden and the Relais & Chateau accommodation here

There is a very special garden quite close to Boussac.    The Prieure d'orsan has been open to the public since 1993, and is now Relais & Chateaux approved, with eight guest rooms and an excellent restaurant.   This garden has become a sought-after destination for serious gardeners.

When Patrice Taravella, a successful Parisian architect and Sonia Leson, acquired this property near Maisonnais in the Loire Valley, in 1991, it was a ruin.  Several derelict buildings surrounded by barren land.  They saw the architectural possibilities, but "we needed to smell the air first," says Taravella, so they lived there for a year before the idea came to make a garden.  With the help of local gardener Gilles Guillot, the art of gardening from the pre-Renaissance times has been brought back to life.  Plentiful plantings of Hornbeams  have been hedged, fenced and coaxed to form  arbours, arches and buttresses, support structures, pyramids, circles and more.  There are raised flower beds,a  kitchen-garden, orchards, medicinal herb gardens, a rose garden and a secret garden... all so characteristic of monastery gardens.  

The out-buildings house a reception area and a restaurant offering  high-quality produce from the orchard and kitchen-gardens.  There is also an exhibition centre featuring exhibits relating to nature, gardens and landscapes.  The shop in the reception area is adorable - selling lovely items for the garden as well as books, gifts, etc.

We never tire of visiting this garden and have delighted the many guests we have taken here.  Please put this on your to-do lists when next visiting France, as I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.

The photos are my own and to read more about this garden and hotel,  please click here

The Orchard

The Potager

I love the naive heart hugging the window

The Rose Garden

Apple trees trained to grow against the walls.

 

Patrice Taravella was recently commissioned to design a similar garden in South Africa.  This garden can be seen at Babylonstoren.   During a recent visit, we drove to Somerset West, not far from Cape Town to view the garden.  As the climate is completely different from the Loire Valley, some of the structures are similar but the choice of plants is very different.  The garden is still in it's infancy,  and I look forward to seeing it in years to come.

Family Holiday

Family holiday

We returned on 14 March from a very happy and successful family holiday.  I use the word successful as everyone was rather worried about how 3 little girls under the age of three were going to cope with jet lag, skiing, restaurant food and the general rough and tumble of very long distance travel that is the lot of us living in Australia.

We flew via Hong Kong to Zurich where we had a mini-bus fetch us for the trip to Lech in Austria. There were eleven of us including the little girls!

We were incredibly lucky to arrive to lots and lots of snow! 

Our lovely hotel - Gasthof Post

By the time we arrived at our hotel,  it was only 9.00am!   Everyone  was exhausted and in real need of a shower and lie-down!  We had to wait for our rooms but spent the time relaxing in this cosy room below

The sitting area of our hotel bedroom

The softest linen and such comfortable beds!

I love these tiles!

The skiing component of the holiday was wonderful!  The little cousins (apart from Arabella who was only 15 months old)  went to Ski School everyday!... there was much trepidation at first but they soon grew to love going each morning and they had each other for support!  As I don't ski anymore,  I enjoyed the wonderful sunny weather, walking around the village and a visit or two to the spa!   It was our first stay at this hotel and we cannot wait to return!

This is the very handsome Emilio... a guest at our hotel.  He would arrive in the dining room every evening with his owners,  and settle himself beneath their table.  He was adorable!

Our large table - where we had all of our breakfasts and dinners.

After ten happy days in Lech,  we left for Cape Town and the familiarity of the Vineyard Hotel.  Our children grew up in Cape Town and so it was a week of many reunions and visiting favourite places. 

The Vineyard Hotel

The delicious fresh fish of the day which we enjoyed most days!

The cosy "Quiet room" - just recently refurbished

We visited the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel one day for lunch. 

We enjoyed a delicious lunch on the terrace overlooking the pool.  The "Nellie"  is indeed a grand old lady!

We had coffee and cake at "Melissa's" in Constantia - which is a little like "Jones the Grocer" here in Australia.

Sniffing the lovely roses

Outdoor concert at Kirstenbosch gardens - what a venue!

After a very full and busy week in Cape Town,  we flew to Johannesburg and then on to Singita.  We had three unforgettable days in the peaceful beauty of the African bush.  Game viewing, swimming, jumping on the trampoline which  delighted the children.  We had the camp to ourselves.. had perfect weather and wonderful food.  The children were a pleasure during the game drives and remained fascinated throughout the three days!

The comfortable large veranda at Castleton

Sinking into these beds were a pleasure - loved the leather headboard too

Outdoor breakfast

This great shot of this cheetah was taken by my son using his phone and binoculars!

Table set for lunch beneath the pergola

The food was always delicious and inventive and the chef happily handed me typed recipes to take home!