The Garden of Love
Love can be tender, passionate, fickle or even tragic. There is one garden with a curated selection of plants and intricate designs which captures every facet of this enigmatic sentiment
A garden inspired by love
A view of the Garden of Love at RHS Partner Garden Château et Jardins de Villandry
Once the château’s restoration was complete, the couple turned their attention to the gardens. Originally established in the Renaissance style between the 16th and the 18th century, the gardens had been replaced in the 1800s by a vast English-style park. The Carvallos decided to re-create the classical motifs of the Renaissance while also incorporating elements inspired by Joachim’s homeland.
From left to right: Anne Coleman, Joachim Carvallo and former science colleague Prof Charles Richet (Nobel prize in Medicine, 1913) in the Garden of Love. About 1920
Located on the single terrace that leads directly to the ground floor of the château, the ornamental gardens are designed as an open-air salon and an extension of the residence’s reception rooms. Their motifs are a flamboyant fusion of 16th-century French parterres, Andalusian influences and Islamic garden designs. Designed by Joachim together with the Spanish painter and landscape architect Javier de Winthuysen, they evoke the spirit of a reinterpreted Renaissance, thus accentuating the Renaissance character of the château’s façade.
The ornamental gardens consist of two green salons on either side of the moat. Just below the viewing point is the first salon, which includes the Garden of Love and the Garden of Crosses. The former, located beneath the building’s windows, features four box beds symbolising the four states of love.
The four states of love
“Originally, the Garden of Love created by Joachim Carvallo consisted of six squares,” said Henri. “This was changed around 1925, when the two squares connecting to the Garden of Crosses were divided in half and turned into a more common pattern, in order to create an avenue leading to a monumental fountain.” They now connect the first and second ornamental salons.
The Garden of Love (in the red square), in a map of Château de Villandry, before 1925
The Garden of Love in another map of the estate, after two squares were removed
Tender Love is symbolised by four hearts separated by little flames of love in the corners of the square. At the centre are masks which were worn at balls to conceal the face, enabling their wearers to engage in all sorts of conversation, from the most serious to the most light-hearted.
Passionate Love also features hearts, but this time they are broken out of passion. The clumps of box are entangled to form a maze, further evoking the dance and whirlwind of passion.
The top left square is dedicated to Tender Love, the top right to Passionate Love. Below, on the left, is Tragic Love and on the right, Flighty Love
Tragic Love features box shaped into the dagger blades used in duels and red flowers to symbolise bloodshed. The designs represent the blades of daggers and swords used in duels caused by amorous rivalry. In summer, the flowers are red to symbolise the blood shed in these combats.
Love is in the flowers
Tulips in spring
Begonias in summer
In summer, red, white and pink begonias wonderfully fill the boxwood patterns with their relatively dense structure. Planted in June, the begonias grow throughout summer and reach the height of the boxwood borders by the end of August. The yellow colour is also given by bidens.
Other gardens at Château de Villandry
Prunella Murray, RHS Partner Gardens Manager, said: “Château et Jardins de Villandry is one of our gems within our RHS Partner Gardens scheme and one of our most visited overseas gardens. Whilst the visiting window for RHS Members is from September–December, when open, it is definitely worth a visit for romantic garden enthusiasts and their loved ones at any time of the year if they are headed to the beautiful Loire Valley in France.”
