Chateau de Villandry 2007 and 2011!

2007 Vegetable Garden Plan!

The 2011 Vegetable Garden Plan!

The 2007 Vegetable Garden in October

The 2011 Vegetable Garden in July

2007 Overview of the Vegetable Garden

2011 Overview of the Vegetable Garden

2007 Lemon Verbena in the Herb Garden

2011 Lemon Verbena in the Herb Garden

I'm woefully behind in posting about our fabulous European adventure in 2011.  So indulge me a bit and I'll try to make it a great armchair vacation for you during this cold snowy winter.  This is one of my favorite gardens in the world, Chateau de Villandry.  It was completed around 1536 and was the last of the great chateaus to be built on the banks of the Loire River during the Renaissance period.  I have given you a comparison in gardens from when we were there in 2007 to 2011.  I realized reading the brochure that they have two plantings of the vegetable garden, one in spring from March to June and the other in summer from June to November.  I would go again in August or September.  October was great and July was a bit under grown.  Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful place no matter what season you visit.  The last two pictures are of my beloved herb, lemon verbena.  In July it looks a bit more like the plant you grow.  In October when it's like a hedge, it doesn't look as familiar.  These last three photos are of the new Sun Garden is an exotic place made up of three green areas.  It was a very peaceful sighting.  Enjoyed this garden as much as the vegetable in the fall.  Hope you get to go some day.  You will really enjoy it.

The Sun Garden

The Cloud Room

The Sun Room

Well, it is finally sunny here!  Got out to see what's going on in the herb garden.  Still pretty covered up with snow.  We are supposed to get a bit of mixed precipitation tomorrow night into Friday.   We may get into the 50's next week.  Maybe Phil was right.  Spring will be early this year.  It was really early last year.  Hope you are having a sunny day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.