Les Jardins de Maizicourt, a garden in the north-east of France

Visit Les Jardins de Maizicourt

Les Jardins de Maizicourt is a garden in the Somme department, north of Amiens in north-east France.

This garden was recently voted the favourite garden of Picardie and one of the favourite gardens in France in a competition run by the tv programme France 2 - 'le jardin préféré des francais'.

Explore the Jardins de Maizicourt

The Jardins de Maizicourt is a wonderful garden stretching over 8 hectares. Once a formal French garden it was abandonded during the 19th century until its current owners bought the property and recovered it from the forest of brambles and nettles that had taken over.

The backbone of hedges of beech, holly and box remain and have been restored to the neat symmetrical lines and pruned shapes that once dominated the garden. This structure though has been softened with a wonderful range of planting where different themes are used in each different part of the garden.

I particularly liked the way that each section of the garden used a fairly limited range of plants but in massive quantities giving it a strong visual impact. Examples of planting combinations were irises with astilbe, phlox and geraniums, and roses with an underplanting of astilbe, irises, hostas and day lilies.

I think this garden has the most astilbe in one garden that I have ever seen. Makes me want to rush and plant some in my garden.

There is the 'Ancienne mare (pond)' where the garden is dedicated to gigantic plants whereas the cloister garden is a beautiful white garden packed full of hostas, hydrangeas and roses.

There are 19 different areas including the orangerie with a Japanese inspiration, terraces with an Italian inspiration, a water garden themed in red and yellow and a potager (vegetable garden).

There is also a charming dovecote and a number of ornamental hens roam freely throught the garden.

As you approach the garden from the church in the centre of Maizicourt you will notice that the village has been beautifully planted.

I wasn't suprised to find that this was done by the owner of the Gardens of Maizicourt and the 3 gardeners who help her!

I was amazed though to find the village had only been awarded 2 flowers for the village in bloom contest - it really is one of the best I've seen! Apparently the judges decide depending partly on how many of the villagers are involved in the planting!

Les Jardins de Maizicourt garden guide

The gardens of Maizicourt are open from 1 May to 15 October; from Monday to Friday 14.00-18.00. In June and September the gardens are open every day from 14.00-18.00.

The entrance price is 11 euros for adults and free to under 12s.

Address: Les Jardins de Maizicourt, 80370 Maizicourt, Somme; Tel: 03 22 32 69 64

Park at the Place de l'Eglise in the village of Maizicourt.

Gardens to visit nearby

The Jardin des Lianes near Cheriennes in the Pas de Calais department is a lovely garden which has been awarded 'Jardin Remarquable' status. It is a very romantic 'English-style' garden.

The Parc du Chateau de Serricourt is also nearby and is also well worth a visit. Indeed this was voted 'Garden of the Year 2012' by the French garden journalists.

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