Perfume, color, and joie de vivre are synonymous with France, and all these words could sum up the delights of a French provincial garden. The French are famous for their love of gardens; the immaculately landscaped grounds of the Palace of Versailles are a national treasure and one of its most beloved tourist attractions.
There is also great charm in the informality of a French country garden, where fragrant flowers and herbs tumble over gravel paths, vines wind round pergolas. The air is filled with a heady scent and the sound of water bubbling from a small fountain or bird bath – the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine made from grapes grown in a nearby vineyard.
