Jardin de Berchigranges; a garden in the north east of France

Visit Jardin de Berchigranges

The Jardin de Berchigranges is in Granges sur Vologne in the Vosges department.

The Jardin de Berchigranges was the Winner of the second prize in the "Best Park in France 2007 competition" and first prize in the "Garden of the Year 2005" competition judged by AJJH, an association of garden journalists in France.

Explore the Jardin de Berchigranges

This garden which is 700m above sea level in the Vosges region of France has been carved out of the mountain. Tons of granite has been moved, top soil imported, water ways made and plants studied to find those suited to the extreme conditions in this area (-22 ° with no protective snow cover in the winter of 2001/2).

Each year Monique and Thierry Dronet add another area to their garden, always something original and beautiful to maintain the reputation of this remarkable garden and each season is catered for.

After the snows of winter 150 varieties of narcissi put on a tremendous show along with other spring bulbs. May sees the start of a long season of perennials and summer gives particular emphasis to plants with interesting leaves such as ligularias and eupatoriums. Autumn brings the soft colours of asters mingled with grasses and ferns.

There are now many themed gardens, including a cottage garden, a rose cascade, a purple garden, a perfumed garden, and a rock garden and all are set against a magnificent backdrop of mountains and forests. The cool garden contains lots of water and is a haven for the lovely blue flowers of Meconopsis.

Meconopsis is a difficult plant to grow in many gardens and so it is quite special to see it here. It flowers in June and at that time of the year most of the other flowers are blue too and so the garden is quite stunning.

The garden has a very 'English feel' with its relaxed style and long borders of herbaceous and perennial plants. Surrounded by a plantation of spruce trees giving a perfect backdrop to the colours of the garden. This truly is a fabulous and inspirational garden and well worth a visit if you are in this area of France.

There is also a garden centre here, "un jardin de cottage" which allows you to buy many of the plants that you will have seen in the garden.

Berchigranges garden guide

The Jardin de Berchigranges is open every day from mid April until the end of September. April, May and September 14.30 to 19.00 and June, July and August 10.00 to 19.00.

Visits to the garden cost 12 euros for adults and 5 euros for children.

This garden is situated to the East of Epinal in the mountainous Vosges area of France.

Address: Le Jardin de Berchigranges, 9 route du Tholy, 88640 Granges sur Vologne

www.berchigranges.com

Gardens to visit nearby

Also to visit in the Vosges department is the Jardin d' Altitude du Haut-Chitelet which like the Berchigranges garden specialises in plants suited to growing at altitude. A little to the north is the Jardins de Callunes which is listed as a "Jardin Remarkable" as is the Jardin Botanique de Gondremer. All of these are in the Vosges department.

There are two more pretty gardens nearby. These are the Jardin des Songes and the Jardin de Marguerite.

You can find more local travel ideas in the North East France guide,