This is a very interesting post! I am in Thonon-les-Bains, France, this summer, on the southern shore of Lake Geneva. I'm seeing North American native plants all over the place around here as well, such as: Adam's Needle, trumpet creeper, tulip poplar, sweetgum, southern magnolia, echinacea, and more! Isn't it interesting how the botanical community has historically prized exoticism. Probably both for aesthetic novelty and for the success that exotic ornamentals have in an environment without naturally co-evolved predators. Hindsight....
Thank you! It does seem the plants picked to use as exotics — throughout France, evidently — are really great plants. Tulip poplar is a good addition to the list. I’m guessing these plants may be easier to source in France than here!
The arches — with the ones over the walkway repeating the arch of the bridge — are indeed a cool design feature. And the crowds are a big bummer. We visited at opening time hoping to beat the buses from Paris and it was packed. My daughter says she visited in the afternoon and it was not, so perhaps the best strategy is to visit late after the buses have left…
This is a very interesting post! I am in Thonon-les-Bains, France, this summer, on the southern shore of Lake Geneva. I'm seeing North American native plants all over the place around here as well, such as: Adam's Needle, trumpet creeper, tulip poplar, sweetgum, southern magnolia, echinacea, and more! Isn't it interesting how the botanical community has historically prized exoticism. Probably both for aesthetic novelty and for the success that exotic ornamentals have in an environment without naturally co-evolved predators. Hindsight....
Thank you! It does seem the plants picked to use as exotics — throughout France, evidently — are really great plants. Tulip poplar is a good addition to the list. I’m guessing these plants may be easier to source in France than here!
Agreed - except, perhaps, for the trumpet creeper vine, if it's tentacling around!
I loved my visit to Monet's garden - esp the arched walkway and the perennial planting - not so keen on the volume of visitors!
The arches — with the ones over the walkway repeating the arch of the bridge — are indeed a cool design feature. And the crowds are a big bummer. We visited at opening time hoping to beat the buses from Paris and it was packed. My daughter says she visited in the afternoon and it was not, so perhaps the best strategy is to visit late after the buses have left…