The “ideal garden” in Chaumont-sur-Loire
For his 30and edition, the International Garden Festival of Chaumont-sur-Loire – created by Jean-Paul Pigeat (1946-2005), under the aegis of Jack Lang – has as its theme the “ideal garden”. Chantal Colleu-Dumond, the director of the estate, which includes the castle, the historic park and its more recent extensions (including a hotel, which should open soon), presided over the choice of the ephemeral garden projects. These were created by young international teams competing around the theme of the year. “Green cards” have also been awarded to recognized landscapers: the Malay Inch Lim, the Frenchwoman Jacqueline Osty – with her luminous Moroccan garden –, the brilliant botanist with… green hair Patrick Blanc – who works in the Vallon des Mists – or the American Kathryn Gustafson – who designed a very sober and beautiful garden with elliptical shapes. The emblematic Mediterranean garden created ex nihilo in the meadows of Goualoup by Jean Mus, « star » of the gardens of the Côte d’Azur, will be preserved, with its cypresses, its century-old olive trees and its refreshing fountain. To be noted, among the creations of the current edition, the garden of an Italian team: « De la nature », a three-dimensional staging « reproducing » the fresco of Villa Livia, in Rome, itself image of a garden… ideal.
“Ideal garden. Thirty years of green utopia”, International Garden Festival, until November 6, 2022, domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire (Loir-et-Cher). Practical information on domaine-chaumont.fr
The “Natural histories” of Lalanne at the Decorative Arts
The Museum of Decorative Arts presents until May 29 the donation of sculptors François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne, inspired throughout their long career by animals, but also by plants. Not-so-stupid cabbages, a very red apple or gilded bronze gingko furniture are displayed.
« Natural histories » exhibition, François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne donation, until May 29, Museum of Decorative Arts, 107, rue de Rivoli, Paris (1er). Practical information on madparis.fr
“The Garden, mirror of the world”, an exhibition at the Château du Rivau
The Château du Rivau, located near Chinon, south of the Loire, looks like a fairy tale castle, a jewel enthroned in the middle of a set of eclectic gardens. Its owner, Patricia Laigneau, works to renew and embellish them, creating atmospheres inspired by medieval legends or classical literature – Rabelais himself citing Le Rivau as a gift made by Gargantua to one of his officers. Today, sculptures or contemporary art installations capture the gaze of visitors at a bend in a path or in the branches of a tree. The rooms of the castle are animated by presentations that evoke the history of the estate, the role of the horse in this history or the traditional art of hunting. A temporary exhibition of contemporary artists – painters, photographers or visual artists – declines, until the autumn, the theme of the « garden, mirror of the world » with motifs of flowers, birds or animal chimeras, which dialogue with the permanent collection brought together by an enthusiast.
Exhibition “The Garden, mirror of the world”, until November 13, 2022, Château du Rivau, rue du Château, Lémeré (Indre-et-Loire). Practical information on chateaudurivau.com
Ikebana, Japanese floral art, at the Maison de la culture du Japon
Ikebana, the traditional Japanese floral art, will be honored at the Maison de la culture du Japon, in Paris, from May 17 to 21. Grandmaster Riou Udagawa, from the Koryu Rion-kai school, will be the guest of honor. The program includes exhibitions, a projection, workshops and demonstrations.
“Ikebana, Japanese floral art: the power of flowers”, from May 17 to 21, 2022, Maison de la culture du Japon, 101 bis, quai-Jacques-Chirac, Paris (15and). Practical information on ikebana-international-paris.com
The art of “paper gardens”, at the Salon du Dessin
During the Salon du Dessin – which will be held in Paris from May 18 to 23, in the former Bourse – a symposium open to the public and placed under the scientific direction of historian Monique Mosser will be devoted to “the art of gardens of paper « .
« On the art of paper gardens: designing, planning, representing », symposium organized on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 May, as part of the Salon du dessin (18-23 May), Palais Brongniart, place de la Bourse, Paris (2and). Program on salondudessin.com
« The Precedence of the Living » at the King’s Vegetable Garden, Versailles
Among the various proposals of the Biennial of architecture and landscape organized by the Ile-de-France region in Versailles from May 14 to July 13, the « gardener » and landscaper Gilles Clément and the founders of the Coloco agency will present, at the National School of Landscape, an exhibition-garden, “La Préséance du vivant”. The planting of a collaborative garden, “Le Potager des autres”, will extend this initiative in the Hardy garden, in the heart of the King’s vegetable garden.
« La Préséance du vivant », an exhibition by Gilles Clément and the Coloco agency (as part of the Biennale of architecture and landscape organized in Versailles by the Ile-de-France region), from May 14 to July 13 2022, at the King’s Vegetable Garden, National School of Landscape, 10, rue du Maréchal-Joffre, Versailles (Yvelines). Practical information on potager-du-roi.fr
« Garden spirit », an annual event around the garden and gardening, will animate in Versailles, on May 14 and 15, the district of Saint-Louis cathedral, as well as the King’s vegetable garden and its surroundings. Practical information on esprit-jardin.fr
A new botanical exploration by Patrick Blanc
When he’s not at the Chaumont-sur-Loire Garden Festival, botanist Patrick Blanc creates plant walls on buildings designed by architect Jean Nouvel. Or he explores tropical forests, filmed by his companion, Pascal Héni. These incredible botanical explorations, with live commentary (in English), are an opportunity to discover“incredible species” in their natural habitat, like here in Papua New Guinea.
Botanical exploration with Patrick Blanc in the tropical forests of Papua – New Guinea.