Tuesday, May 02, 2017

In A Garden Of Nantes

Wandering Around Cottage - April 2017 Edition


Brittany is known for its mild climate - never too hot, never too cold. But last year, the week I decided to spend in the town of Nantes was the hottest week of the year. So I organised myself to do most of my visits in the morning before the temperature rose to something a Petite Blonde can't handle.


La Bretagne est bien connue pour son climat doux - jamais trop chaud, jamais trop froid. Mais l'an dernier, la semaine que j'ai passée à Nantes était justement la plus chaude de l'année. J'ai dû m'organiser pour faire toutes les visites le matin avant que la température n'atteigne des sommets qu'une Petite Blonde ne peut pas supporter.

Temperature early in the morning...
 
One morning, as I was walking in the heat, somewhere between a castle and a cathedral, I decided to walk in the "Jardin des plantes". I meant to only go through it quickly, but the trees and the water created such a cooler atmosphere that I stayed quite a while.

The size of my shadow reveals it was early...

Un matin, alors que je marchais sous un soleil de plomb quelque part entre un château et une cathédrale, j'ai traversé le Jardin des plantes. Je pensais n'y rester que quelques instants, mais finalement j'ai bien apprécié la fraîcheur de ce lieu absolument merveilleux et je m'y suis perdue avec plaisir.

From what I read, Nantes didn't have a "leisure garden" until the 18th centruy. But before that, Nantes had a "garden of the apothecaries", founded by... apothecaries! (I know, it was a bit far-fetched...) Nantes is a huge harbour and it allowed for many exotic plants to be brought back and collected. Plants were cultivated and then used in medicines by the town apothecaries. 


D'après ce que j'ai lu, Nantes ne possédait pas de jardin d'agrément public avant le XVIIIe siècle. Cependant, il existait un jardin des apothicaires, fondé par des... apothicaires. (Vous ne l'aviez pas venu venir, hein?) Nantes était un grand port et cela facilitait l'arrivée de plantes venues du monde entier. Les apothicaires les cultivaient et les vendaient ensuite dans leurs boutiques.

This garden doesn't exist anymore, but I wish I could have seen it as I have a little herb garden myself and I love to use the plants in it. 


Ce jardin de simples n'existe plus, mais j'aurais adoré le voir car j'ai un petit carré d'herbes médicinales que j'adore utiliser.


The garden I visited was created after the French revolution. It was famous for its magnolias, brought back from the South of the United States. Some of them are still in the garden and are the oldest trees there today.

One of the oldest whose head I sadly cut (on the picture only).

Le jardin que j'ai visité a été créé après la Révolution. Il était d'abord célèbre pour ses magnolias, rapportés du sud des Etats-Unis. Certains font maintenant partie des arbres les plus vieux de ce jardin.


In the 19th century, a captain who trades with Martinique, Reunion and India and who seems to have been passionate about plants, brings back many specimens to the director of the garden who decides to build a conservatory to keep some of those exotic plants.


Au XIXe siècle, un capitaine qui faisait commerce avec la Martinique, la Réunion et l'Inde et qui semble avoir été passionné de botanique a rapporté de nombreux spécimens au directeur du jardin et il fut même décidé de construire une serre pour abriter les plantes les plus exotiques.

Today, the garden is the perfect place to spend an afternoon when in Nantes. I really enjoyed my time there, especially as it was the season of baby ducks...


Aujourd'hui, ce jardin est l'endroit idéal pour passer une chaude après-midi dans Nantes. J'ai vraiment apprécié ma visite et le matin, les bébés canards se réveillent juste, c'est adorable ! 


A few pieces of info while you're admiring pictures of the garden. You may remember that I wrote my side was hurting when I laughed, sighed, had the hiccup, went to bed, got out of bed... After a week, I decided to go to the doctor... One of my rib cracked... Nothing serious enough to threaten my lungs, it's more like an hairline on an old teacup.


Quelques petites nouvelles pendant que vous admirez les photos du jardin... Certains se souviendront que j'avais écrit la dernière fois que j'avais mal au côté quand je riais, que j'avais le hoquet, que je me couchais ou que je me levais. Après une semaine, j'ai décidé d'aller voir le docteur. Une de mes côtes s'est fendue. Rien de grave qui menace mes poumons. Juste comme une petite fêlure sur une vieille tasse à thé !


The old teacup I am was feeling way better those last days, so yesterday I went to buy some soil conditionner for my potager. The bags are about half my weight, since I don't weigh much... And I hurt myself again. So I'm taking it slow today (hence the post writing activity) and I hope a friend will stop by Cottage sometime during the week to empty my trunk as there's no way I'm lifting and carrying those bags again. I mean where's Prince Charming when you need him?


La vieille tasse à thé que je suis se sentait vraiment mieux ces derniers jours, alors hier, j'ai trouvé intelligent d'aller chercher des sacs d'amendement pour mon potager. Ces sacs font presque la moitié de mon poids puisque je ne pèse pas bien lourd. Evidemment je me suis refait mal en les chargeant dans la voiture. Du coup, aujourd'hui, c'est repos (d'où l'activité "écriture du blog") et j'espère qu'un de mes amis va pouvoir passer au Cottage dans la semaine pour vider le coffre de ces sacs que je refuse de transporter jusqu'au potager. 


See you next time,


A la prochaine fois,

Hasta la proxima,











34 comments:

  1. I feel very guilty in admitting that I never found the garden on my visits to Nantes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found it by chance as I lost myself around the train station on my way to the cathedral!

      Delete
  2. an interesting place to see I'm sure. Sorry you do not have the strength to lift your bags of soil without hurting yourself. Hope you can find someone to help you with it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful photos. I love the shadow picture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! The shadow pictures have become my trade mark, I guess!

      Delete
  4. Hi...what a Wonderful garden..it's fun to know some of our Magnolia trees are near you..they are fabulous..the leaves are used a lot at Christmas to decorate with..google Williamsburg VA..i'm sure they must have pix dressed up for the holidays..an baby ducks are the best..love the shadow..hope your rib heals up quick.!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a lovely garden! How nice that there are magnolia trees that have thrived after all these years. They are one of my favorite trees.

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wonderful, Magali. Lovely garden - fascinating to see the little square beds - I've never seen a design like that before. Btw, the shot of your shadow is excellent. Sorry to hear about the rib - what have you been doing to yourself? And, of course, I am sorry I am not available to help unload your soil!

    ReplyDelete
  7. J'ai bien aimé la visite de ce parc à Nantes qui a l'air d'être une très jolie ville. J'espère que ta côte va aller mieux afin que tu puisses retrouver le plaisir de jardiner. Bises.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a lovely, unique garden. The conservatory is a beautiful structure. The "ice cream cone" and the "bench" are delightful. Very clever. I could spend a lot of time here, too. Especially with those adorable baby ducks. So sweet. xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Why do they make those bags of soil so heavy? Beautiful pictures. Quick healing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Magali, so happy you decided to post about Nantes. On one of my visits to France we had planned to go there. For some reason, our schedule was off so something had to go and Nantes was scratched from our agenda. That trip we based out of Tours, I really appreciate you adding the map, it helps to trigger the area and places I've traveled. Oh my goodness, sorry to hear about your rib, no heavy lifting for you! How nice to see the magnolia tree there from the south, they are all around me, southern through and through! Take care, loved the elongated shadow of the petite blonde:)

    ReplyDelete
  11. So sorry that you re-injured your rib again. Please take care of it.

    Thanks for the great garden tour. Such a lovely place to visit. I love the baby ducks - the are always to cute traveling behind their mom.

    Leave the heavy things in the trunk and ask a neighbor man to help you - believe me they will. I have wonderful neighbors who do my heavy lifting.

    Take care of yourself and have a wonderful week.

    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh boy, you definitely need to take it easy and let yourself heal! How did you crack you rib to begin with? What gorgeous gardens, I could happily spend all day there!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful gardens and I love the architecture of the buildings. Sometimes it takes forever to heal a hairline cracked rib and hopefully someone can unload and spread the soil for you.
    Take care Magali, Kathleen in Az

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My neighbour was kind enough to carry the bags of soil to the kitchen garden for me today after work. I'll spread it bit by bit...

      Delete
  14. Mais c'est pas possible qu'autant de choses t'arrivent à toi toute seule. Il faut normalement au moins quatre personnes pour tout ça (MdR). Non sans blague, j'espère que tu te remettras très vite. Caresses aux minous. Bises. Babette

    ReplyDelete
  15. How nice that just getting out of the heat turned out giving you such joy!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  16. Magnificent ponds, greens, magical things to climb! Have a wonderful week, Magali!

    ReplyDelete
  17. How beautiful! And you just killed me with your "never too hot, never too cold" comment - I've been asking myself where I could go live that is like that! Why my ancestors ever left France is beyond me. Thank you for another lovely tour! xo

    ReplyDelete
  18. That greenhouse/hothouse is gorgeous! The huge bench like a bridge over the walkway is cute and fun!
    Your temps there would be about 95 degrees Fahrenheit here in USA. Too hot! I become slow and sleepy in temps like that! I do hope you feel better and healed soon.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, how I love your tours. A delightful way to spend a morning, both for you, and for us reading. Even though it is late evening here. Take care of that rib! They do take forever to heal. Groan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. I'm taking it as slow as I can, but it's difficult when there's so much to do!

      Delete
  20. This is a wonderful visit, Magali. I love the films of Jacques Demy so have always been interested to see Nantes.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  21. My Prince Charming (my grandson Logan) is not always around when I need heavy and/or cumbersome bags of grain or soil moved. So I enlist the aid of a child's wagon. I just roll the bags into it and pull it to wherever I need it. Thanks for the garden tour, it looks to be a very lovely place to spend a too warm day. That conservatory and the square beds are so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love this visit. What a charming place and love all the history. Sorry about your cracked rib. Be careful and hope you can find someone to help you get the bags of soil out of your car.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Very beautiful.. enjoyed all the pictures..

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you for the lovely garden tour! Sorry to hear that you cracked a rib - please take care of yourself, and wishing you a speedy recovery!

    ReplyDelete
  25. j'aime trop le cornet de glace en pot de fleurs !! monique59

    ReplyDelete
  26. Love, love your tour of this beautiful town. I think that you should frame your shadow picture it is very unique! By the way when you find a Prince Charming let me know where to look! lol
    xoxo Jo

    ReplyDelete
  27. So very sorry to read about your cracked rib, I hope it heals well and quickly.
    This looks a lovely garden, I enjoyed your photographs.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  28. Love the conservancy and the gardens...such a peaceful post to view...Prince Charming should be along soon...tell him hi for me. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prince Charming isn't very good at finding his way... Maybe someone should give him a GPS system for his white horse...

      Delete

It makes me so happy to read your comments! Let me know you stopped by!
J'adore lire vos commentaires. N'hésitez pas à vous joindre à cette discussion multi-lingue.