Flower Show

There is a big once-every-five-years flower show going on in Nantes this year, so, given the ongoing garden development here at Domaine des Hallais, we decided to go and take a look.

It was two hours drive away, which seemed a long way, but then I remembered that I used to think nothing of doing the two hour drive from Staines to the NEC when I was working in England. Leeds at 3 and a half hours did seem a long way, but the NEC? Nearly on the doorstep.

A fascinating display. Formal and informal gardens built by private gardening firms, or from sponsored civil bodies like the city of Seattle, twinned with Nantes. I came away with only two new plants: what I can only describe as a wodge of Agapanthus; somone had dug up an established plant and split it with a spade, and a few roots of Incarvillea, a plant that goes by the common name of chasse-taupe in France, because moles don't like it. I have had some moles in my lawn so maybe these will help.

Here are some pictures from the flower show. Some random pictures to give you a feel for it, though of course there is much more to see than these.....




This garden creates an air of mystery as in Arthurian legends














This industrial wasteland garden appealed to me because it reminded me of scenes from the computer game "Half Life"











There were plenty of orchids on display






This abstract pattern of orchids, in crystal vases, placed on a mirror was effective




















This one seemed somehow Irish to me :)








































And this vegetable umbrella, one of several was..... well, different