Once upon a time, there was a girl named Beauty who asked her father for a rose. Or was it Belle? This story ran through my mind while we walked 5 kilometers to get to this garden. My husband wanted to show me a "Roseraie" that he chanced upon on his way to order pizza a few days ago. I still remember the way my jaw dropped at first thinking he suddenly turned religious and wanted to pray the rosary. He then explained to me in slow and clear french that he wants to take me to a rose garden. So the scent of roses greets us on a warm grey afternoon...
 |
| My husband pushed the stroller on the wide pavement while I looked after my 6 year old nephew, who I had to trick into walking this far with us by making the walk more interesting. |
Roseraie Dorieux, Imagine La Rose is open to the public this summer from 8th of June to 25th September 2015 from 14h to 18h everyday except Sundays and public holidays.
The rose garden was recently inaugurated under the name "Rosearaie Francois Dorieux" last 6th of June in honor of Mr. Francois Dorieux, a rose specialist who proposed to the municipality of Les Sables d'Olonne in the creation of 3 roses; Ville des Sables D'Olonne, Vendèe Globe and Cap Horn. He opened the garden to the public in 2000 offering beauty, tourism and green space to the community. There are 1200 Roses with 125 varieties in the rose garden's collection.
Where is it?
La Roseraie, les jardins et les serres municipales de la Mérinière
Route de Nantes, 89 Avenue Charles de Gaulle
Olonne Sur Mer, France
For more information contact: 02 51 23 16 43
During brief quiet moments, thoughts of Beauty and the Beast kept me occupied. Perhaps this is an effect of reading far too many fairy tales to my daughter. We went from one rose to another admiring each variety and color. Like a bee, we took pleasure in it and sniffed.
The garden doesn't end with roses. The glass house that served as nurseries were restricted. Far beyond the hedges were more landscaping that lead to a presentation garden filled with other varieties of flowers like Canna, Petunias and Dahlias, plants and trees. There was also a huge collection of bamboo and a small bridge that leads to a wildflower prairie.
 |
| An insect hotel |
My daughter was quiet, her curiosity written all over her
as I watched her take in the beauty of the roses during our nature-filled afternoon.
Do you fancy roses?
Happy Tuesday!
Love & light,
Arni
5 comments
Hi Arni, this reminded me of roses in Vienna parks wherein they grew naturally. They're so nice I wish to have my own 'secret garden' with roses someday :)
ReplyDeletewe do love them roses! Mine fave are the white ones usually. And wild roses are especially lovely too when they grow somewhere on their own and cover everything around them.
ReplyDeleteI adore these pictures, and just wish I could see sights like this around where I live! I am fairly lucky to live on a quiet road that has quite a bit of wildlife about, but it needs more roses!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! Good thing you didn't pick a rose or Beast might appear :)
ReplyDeleteThose roses are exquisite! I love your walks.
ReplyDelete