Our garden visits on this campaign so far had been a bit on the disappointing side, but our June 2nd trip to Giverny changed things entirely. Everything was in bloom, a riot of color. Contrary to the advice of Rickie Stevie, Vicki had booked us on the earliest train before opening, and we actually got in and through much of the garden and house before the first wave of tour buses arrived. After Versailles, Monet's garden is perhaps the most popular day trip from Paris. Vicki and I had visited Giverny once or twice before, many years ago, and once more recently, inadvertently driving through the town's pedestrian zone. We didn't stop to smell the roses.
 |
Helpful map; Monet lived to a ripe old age, not all of it as a starving
artist; the house and gardens are not quite up to an English lord's great
house and park/garden, but he did employ as many as seven gardeners
at times |
 |
Allaying any concerns we might have had about the bloom, the
roses, the poppies, and nearly everything else were at or near peak |
 |
| A little canal, feeding it all |
 |
| On the ponds, the lilies less in evidence at this time |
 |
| The bees were doing well |
 |
| Now into the garden |
