Arboretum des Grandes Bruyeres
This park is the winner of the fourth prize for the best park in France competition 2006. (First prize le Jardin de la Petite Rochelle, second prize le Parc oriental de Maulévrier, third prize Le Clos du Coudray).
Bruyeres is the french term for heather and as its name suggests this garden is packed with different varieties of heather.
Not ordinarily one of my favourtite garden plants, this garden really shows how to combine heather with other shrubs and plants to bring out its full beauty and versatility. And of course the garden still looks great in the winter.
Arboretum des Grandes Bruyères
This park contains eight gardens and two arboretums. The French national collection of magnolias and cornus sp. (dogwoods) are here as well as 500 species and varieties of bruyeres (heathers) and 800 ancient roses.
Garden Guide:
The garden is open every Sunday and bank holidays from the last Sunday of March until the 2 November. During the week visits can be arranged by rendez-vous.
This garden is situated 30 km north of Orleans in the Centre region of France
Address: Arboretum des Grandes-Bruyeres,
M et Mme de la Rochefoucald,
45450 Ingrannes
Tel: 02 38 57 12 61