Les Jardins de Roquelin; a Loire Valley garden

Visit Les Jardins de Roquelin

The gardens of Roquelin are situated close to the Loire Valley, an excellent part of France for anyone with a keen interest in gardens. The garden is in Meung sur Loire in the Loiret department south-west of Orleans. The garden is classified as one of France's "Remakable gardens" and has been developed around an old farmhouse where the owners live.

Explore the Jardins de Roquelin

The Jardins de Roquelin is a garden covering an area of around 1 hectare. Specialising in Roses the garden is a mix of banks of roses underplanted with a wide range of perennials including geraniums, euphorbias, delphiniums and irises.

The many climbing and scrambling roses in the garden are supported on impressive rustic wooden structures. There are over 450 varieties of rose in total.

The garden is a riot of colour and scent and a real treat to wander round when the roses come into bloom in May/June. It has the feel of an English country garden with its informal structure and choice of herbaceaous and perennial plants mixed with plenty of roses. The garden is definitely at its best when the roses are flowering and so this is the best time to visit.

All of the main families of rose bushes can be seen in the garden including tea roses, Rugosa, Damascus, Alba, Bourbon and Gallic roses. The bushes are labelled so that you can identify the ones you like best.

As well as the rose garden there is a potager (kitchen garden), pond and many pergolas offer areas of shade in the garden.

As well as the love and attention given to the main garden enjoy the small touches that reveal the artistic eye that has created the garden, for example the galvanised tub filled with water and flower heads.

Once you have ambled round the gardens you can visit the garden centre which has a selection of roses and perennials for sale. Many of the plants growing in the garden are available for sale in the garden centre. There is also a small shop selling artistic aditions to the home and garden and home made jams and marmalades.

The garden is maintained without the use of chemicals and when necessary the roses are treated with treatments made from manure or nettles when necessary, for example to treat black spot, rust or powdery mildew. An annual feed with manure helps to keep the plants healthy.

Les Jardins de Roquelin garden guide

The garden is open 25 April to 11 October from 10.00 to 18.00, every day except Tuesday. Visits to the garden cost 6 euros for adults and are free for under 18s.

This garden is situated in the Loire Valley to the south-west of Orleans.

Address: Les Jardins de Roquelin, Lieu dit "Roquelin", 45130 Meung sur Loire

Gardens to visit nearby

Also in the village of Meung sur Loire is another classified 'remarkable garden', the Jardin Arboretum d'Ilex. This arboretum has been planted along the edges of a small river and includes the national Collections of holly (ilex), Astilbes, Hostas and Clematis. The village of Meung sur Loire is very pretty and worth a visit whilst you are here.

The pretty English-style garden of Chantal et Alain is also to the west of Orleons and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. To the east of Orleans is the splendid Parc Floral de la Source.

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