Loire Valley Gardens Chaumont sur Loire

DOMAINE DE CHAUMONT SUR LOIRE

A fine, state-owned chateau & a celebration of the garden arts. The chateau and 19th-C landscaped park at Chaumont are worth a visit in their own right, but it is the International Festival of Gardening which has made it rightly famous throughout the gardening world.

A castle has existed on this remarkable site, perched on a promontory above the River Loire, since the 10th century. It was once owned by Queen Catherine de Medicis and by Diane de Poitiers, and in the 19th century by the Prince and Princess de Broglie who constructed the model farm buildings and the park.

A cultural centre for centuries, the Region of Centre has continued this tradition since taking ownership in 2007, creating a centre for the landscape arts.

Crossing from the castle to the festival site via a footbridge. there are 26 gardens to explore this year (2011) including exhibits from China and Japan in addition to those of French and other European designers and artists.

Each year the gardens are inspired by a theme as listed below; the 2012 festival title is "Jardins de délice, jardins de délire"

Here is the list of themes since the start of the festival, with descriptions in English.