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Health & Fitness

Another "Ultimate" Field Trip- Monet's Giverny

A fall Sunday was the perfect time for another "Ultimate" field trip- Monet's Giverny!

Most of us are familiar with Claude Monet’s fluid, color-laden and impressionistic painting style.  Water lilies, Bearded iris, Dahlias, Wisteria and Weeping willows personify Monet’s works.

Earlier this month my husband and I were in Paris and decided to visit Monet’s Giverny. The home and grounds are truly stunning- it’s no wonder he was able to create such tremendous works of art while living there.

We decided to spend the entire day at Giverny.  A short Metro ride took us to the St. Lazare train station, a train took us on a scenic ride to Vernon, and finally, a bus took us to Giverny.  The rolling French countryside looked exactly as I expected it to.  Tranquil creeks, stacked stone walls and tree lines divide the parcels of property.  Brightly colored shutters adorn cottage-style homes and nearly every vista affords an abundance of charming landscapes.

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When getting off the bus at Giverny, I was surprised to see vast expanses of ornamental grass swaying in the wind.  Cleverly, the parking lots are bordered with many varieties of tall grass, and, in October, it seems to obscure the multitude of cars and busses parked there. 

Taking a leisurely walk on the path that leads to Monet’s home, I was surprised at the never-ending amount of bamboo planted along the creek beds.  In the states, bamboo is a big “no-no.”  It’s incredibly invasive and, even if trenched and planted inside a barrier, it finds a way out.  Perhaps Monet lived with the inherent invasiveness of bamboo because of his love of all things Japanese. 

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The path continues to a tunnel under the road, eventually taking us to the street where Giverny is.  Many homes have been turned into art galleries, restaurants, gift shops and nurseries, but many homes have families living in them as well.  Life was going on all around us that Sunday. 

Tourists, residents and even an open air “Farmers Market” (complete with perennials, water plants and French garden antiques!) bustled with activity.  Has I been thinking ahead, I could have brought an extra suitcase and filled it up rather quickly with unusual garden antiques!

Visiting on a gorgeous Sunday may not have been the best way to beat the crowds, but after 30 minutes waiting in line we ushered inside.  You can visit the entire house as well as the numerous gardens; we decided to go outside first, hoping that the house would be less crowded later in the day.  We made our way out of the house and onto the grounds of Giverny.

There were flowers, roses, trees, shrubs and vines as far as you can see.  I’m not exaggerating- it was a heavenly horticultural overload!  The common theme that unites all the gardens is the use of green metal structures - I like to call the color “Monet Green.” 

There are expansive hoops, about 20 feet tall and about 50 feet wide that have wisteria and climbing roses twining up the sides and continuing along the tops.  Beds of orange and yellow Nasturtiums coat the floor under the hoops.  Metal has also been fabricated into supports that resemble large, tall umbrellas.  Perfect pink roses adorn them and, in October, they cascade down the supports, resembling a pink waterfall. 

In addition, upright trellises boast large, pale pink “Nelly Moser” Clematis.  They were blooming their beautiful heads off on the day we visited. 

Leaving the first portion of the garden I heard the sounds of chickens.  Following the clucking I saw the most unusual-looking brown chickens.  The top of their heads had huge bundles of feathers, resembling a cowlick.  They were shooting out every which way. 

As a matter of fact, it was difficult to find the beak and eyes on these odd chickens.  They were pretty amusing, but I was anxious to get back to the gardens.

Turning a corner, we spotted the only visible patch of sod.  It was so picturesque, sporting fall crocus in full bloom, a charming wheelbarrow and an abundance of flowers bordering the patch of grass.  It was a major photo-op; nearly every visitor snapped a few shots of the perfectly orchestrated scene.

The sheer multitude of flowers planted in the back of Monet’s house is truly amazing. The stars of the show were Sunflowers, Dahlias, Salvias (especially the variety ‘Black and blue’) Asters and Cosmos.  Personally, I found the Cosmo’s to be the real standouts. Some were pale pink, others had pink tips, some were bright red and others were white. 

They all deserve a spot in American gardens as well.  I plan to plant lots of them next year!

Continuing, we followed a path, across a “Monet Green” bridge and smack dab in front of Monet’s famous water lily pond.  We were standing in the spot where Monet could have painted any one of his masterpieces.  The feeling was surreal; I’ve seen Monet’s paintings with the water lilies in bloom, edged by majestic weeping willows against a clear blue sky. 

For that moment, I felt as if I was the only other person there.  I stood very still, closing my eyes and imagining Monet’s famous paintings in my mind. 

Zapping back to reality, that feeling never really left me.  I had the sense that, at every few feet, I had stood where Monet had been.  Perhaps he had an easel set up next to the red saliva I photographed.  Maybe he stood in wonder, as I did, at the way the weeping willow curls as it falls towards the water. 

The effect the sunlight gives as it bounces off the water lily could have sparked a series of paintings.  It was an immense pleasure being wrapped around the beauty that inspired Monet to create so many priceless works of art.

Seeing the gardens, water lilies, weeping willows and pond, I was anxious to see the interior of the house.  I was curious if the colors would be as exuberant as the landscape was. 

The interior décor didn’t disappoint.  It seems that Monet’s favorite color combination of white, yellow and blue adorned the interior of his house as well. 

A clear, sunny yellow dining room and bright blue kitchen must have made for some exceptional meals with spirited conversation.  I found it interesting that many of his Monet’s works of art are displayed, without being framed, on the walls. Each window in the house afforded a view that was worthy of a masterpiece.  The studio boasted many examples of his work. 

Upon leaving, I imagined Monet looking out his studio window, brush in hand, painting lush roses.  He never had to travel very far to find artistic inspiration at his beloved Giverny.  As a gardener, I found endless inspiration while visiting his home.  I plan to bring a little of Monet’s gardens into my own garden next year. 

I already have Wisteria and Bearded iris- soon I’ll have Cosmos, Dahlias and Sunflowers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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