Garden Photo of the Day

Gilles’ Japanese garden in France

The tea garden

Today's photos are from Christelle Touret. She says, "I am glad to present you my husband´s creation of 13 years: our garden. At first it was completely French and now it is 80% Japanese. Gilles must have been a Japanese stone in another life…. He was used to work as account master in la Croix Rouge hospital, but he left this job 3 years ago to do only Japanese and natural garden for others, even in cities. So I hope you´ll like his work. For me he is an artist, but I may not be objective!" Christelle and Gilles, your garden is beautiful! Gilles, I predict even more success in your career change, if this is an indication of your skills. Feel free to send LOTS more photos!

SEND ME PICS OF YOUR GARDEN! Email me at [email protected]. Thanks! –Michelle

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Entrance area

A new area

A new area

Zen garden

Next to the Zen garden

Tea garden area

Tea garden area

Walking garden

Walking garden from the top

Koshikake machie area


Master of the garden

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Comments

  1. Nurserynotnordstroms 11/05/2014

    Oh I am so happy to not only see photos from France but a Japanese garden, I'm in lust. Yes Christelle you can brag about Gilles skills. He has definetly found his calling. I'm so glad I can expand each photo to see all of the details. Just amazing I'm sure pruning from a traditional European garden to Asian was not so easy,but you did it. Please send in more photos I'm sure we all want to see more(like every square inch would be perfect) How old was your garden before it's new incarnation as an Asian garden?I hope nothing gets lost in the translation of what I wrote here. What is the path made of in "the walking garden from the top"photograph?

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 11/06/2014

    Without a doubt, Christelle, your husband is a gifted artist and visionary. He obviously has a special relationship with plants and sees things in them that most of us miss or aren't brave enough to try to find. I admire his work a great deal and am so happy that he has been able to make this his profession.

  3. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 11/06/2014

    C'est magnifique! What a great job capturing the Japanese garden aesthetic. The undulating pruned shrubs look like giant cushions of moss and that agapanthus exclamation mark is amazing. What I most admire is the restraint in the plant palette necessary to create this garden style. I certainly don't have that sort of self control. Thanks for sending in photos. Perhaps we could visit some client gardens next. Hint hint.
    I went back to look at the path in the walking garden. Are those roof tiles upended? Looks like an enormous trilobite fossil. Very cool!

  4. thevioletfern 11/06/2014

    I am immediately taken with your discipline! I could never limit my plant palette to create such a calm and uniform design. I love, love, love your structures - the tea house, the entrance, the bamboo ... what a way to start my day!

  5. Lisianne 11/06/2014

    I really enjoy the fencing, especially the one in the photo entitled "a new area."

  6. NCYarden 11/06/2014

    This garden is spectacular, especially considering the transition. I really love Japanese style gardens and know that there are a lot "rules" to be followed to make it authentic. I used to subscribe to a Japanese gardening magazine, and the editor all but made it sound impossible to achieve, certainly in one's lifetime, even by an expert (though I often felt he was a bit too critical, to the point of being discouraging, of the attempt ). I am definitely no expert, but looking at these few photos I would say the aesthetic has been achieved, and I'm sure there is much more to come. Well done. Artistry for sure, and I love the strict pruning. Even the built structures are phenomenal. I also admire Gilles' gutsy decision to change directions in career. Others have often said I missed my calling as a professional gardener/landscape designer, but admittedly I am scared of taking such a risk, especially since it seems gardening is a dying art, especially among the younger generations. It is unfortunate. So I wish you all the best in the new endeavor. I think it is marvelous. Wow wow wow. Please send some more photos, and thank you for sharing.

  7. user-7007083 11/06/2014

    I love the photo of Gilles working on creating the fence in the "new area." What an amazing garden! We've seen Russia, France, and Japan all within a few days! Remarkable :)

  8. greengenes 11/06/2014

    Thank you, Christelle for showing us your husbands work or should I say play! It is wonderful how he made a complete change in jobs! Being creative is so rewarding and it is just who he is! It had to come out sometime! Iam very happy for you both and being able to enjoy your gardens throughout the days. It is all so beautiful. I especially like the timbers in the first picture. Bamboo is my favorite grass! Thanks again and you both enjoy the season!

  9. GrannyMay 11/06/2014

    How wonderful it is to be able to see the results of yet another gardener's vision, this time from France! Garden joy with your morning coffee!

    What a transformation, Gilles! I love all the bamboo and rock used in Japanese gardens and admire the result of the hard work and discipline that goes into creating and maintaining one. You definitely have all that it takes to make a successful career of this work. Thank you for sharing your garden with us Christelle. Your are right to be proud of your husband.

  10. GrannyCC 11/06/2014

    Thank you for showing your lovely garden Gilles and Christelle.. I love all the soft rounded shapes of the shrubs in contrast to the sharp edges of the roofs and rocks. Seems like it would be a lovely serene place to visit and enjoy. I think you must spend a lot of time pruning.

  11. wittyone 11/06/2014

    This is such an interesting garden. Very serene and peaceful-----things that most people need more of these days whether they realize it or not. At first I thought that your career change was a real divergence for you but I can see that there is much attention to detail in both occupations. I'd be interested to know what led you to the Japanese garden style.

  12. michaeljgoltzman 11/06/2014

    Merveilleux! tres, tres beau. Congratulations on the years of hard work. It looks absolutely lovely.

  13. christianesterges 11/06/2014

    Truly amazing ... a place to meditate .... et ça en Normandie !! Félicitations....

  14. ntsumxyooj 11/06/2014

    How lovely, it looks so peaceful!

  15. perenniallycrazy 11/07/2014

    Spectacular and cohesive garden rooms and amazing talent! Am curious to see what the French garden looked like before this and how the next garden will look when Christelle undergoes another evolution in landscaping and gardening career.

  16. user-7006958 11/07/2014

    Thanks Christelle for sharing your husband work. He is a true artist. I love all the soft trimmed shapes of the shrubs in contrast to the sharp edges of the rocks and paths.

  17. user-7007140 11/08/2014

    There is something about a Japanese garden which makes me draw a deep breath, gaze around and immediately feel a sense of great peace. All the work needed to,achieve this calm is somehow not at once apparent. We just feel the beauty. Well,done ,Gilles, to turn your life around and share your talent and artistry with others.
    Thank you Christiane for sending the photographs. Truly amazing work and only one who loves could find solace working on that fabulous pruning.

  18. user-7007140 11/08/2014

    So sorry Christelle to have spelled your name incorrectly. I have another French friend whose name is Christiane!

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