The Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie in the Dordogne Valley

Visit The Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie

The Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie can be found in the Dordogne Valley near to the beautiful riverside village of La Roque Gageac. It is a very colourful garden surrounding an attractive working farm.

Explore the Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie

The Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie has been developed over 20 years around the lovely stone buildings of a farm in the Dordogne Valley. The large courtyard has been filled with tubs of flowering shrubs such as orleander and colourful annuals including geraniums and petunias.

Much of the walls of the farm buildings are also covered in climbing plants adding to the charm of the courtyard. Next to the courtyard the main part of the garden was begun in 1991 when one of the farm buildings was converted into an auberge and Martine and Alain wanted an attractive setting for guests.

This garden is surrounded by clipped box hedging and deep borders of flowering shrubs including roses, lilacs and abelias. Island beds and decorative trees add to the picture as do various focal points including a statue and a bike covered in flowering plants.

The garden then leads to a small pond in a beautiful spot surrounded by large trees and hedges and the slopes of the hillside. The planting around the pond is very exotic with canna lilies, agave plants and palms and yuccas adding drama. Flowering Lagerstroemia trees, also known as Cape Myrtel, add colour and height.

These beautiful trees are very common in the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne area and add colour to many of the towns and gardens in the summer.

The next section is dominated by a large walnut tree under which grows a profusion of ferns and hostas grow. From here the path winds upwards past various varieties of grasses and hydrangeas along with agapanthus, sedums, asters and much more.

A woodland area is brightened up with animal-like statues created by Martine in the winter months when there is less work to do in the garden and you can then see some of the working parts of the farm such as the large wooden tobacco barns and the truffle woods.

Back down to the garden past a mixed orchard and at the edge of the main driveway is the most recent part of the garden to be developped. Passing through a rose arch this area of the garden is an abundance of roses and flowering herbaceous and annual plants including bright yellow rudbeckias and a mass of zinnias in pinks and oranges.

Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie garden information

The Jardin de la Ferme Fleurie is open from the 15th May to the 15th September. Opening hours are 10.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 18.00. Prices are 6 euros for adults and 4 euros for under 12s.

Gardens to visit nearby

Nearby are the Jardins de Marqueyssac which have clipped box hedges cut into fabulous swirling shapes and a lovely shady walk above the Dordogne river. It is one of the key gardens of the Dordogne area.

Another of our favourites are the Jardins d'eau de Carsac which is a lovely water garden with a unique aquatic labyrinth.

You can find more local travel ideas in the South West France guide,