A must-see at this very moment...
In every season, at every moment, the park and gardens of the château d'Ainay-le-Vieil hold surprises in store for visitors and garden lovers alike...
In the rose garden, after the magnificent flowering of the old roses last June, the many colors of the remontant roses mingle with the intense blue of the lavender, sage and perovskia.
At the heart of the second chartreuse lies a curiosity: the sculpted orchard dedicated to the fruit forms of La Quintinie.
The insect château , a magnificent work of companionship, is built to attract auxiliary insects that will fight against predatory insects. A great way to deal with the number-one enemy of fruit trees.
The landscaped grounds, which can be explored on a walk around the ramparts along the moat, are dotted with remarkable trees.
To the left of the Châtelet, the bald cypress. This monumental tree, originally from Louisiana, was introduced to France by Lafayette, who gave it to Marie-Antoinette. Although it became his favorite tree, it is also very useful in Ainay-le-Vieil, stabilizing the moat banks with its pneumatophores. These roots protrude from the ground to form plant sculptures that allow the tree to breathe.
At the center of the courtyard, the Gingko Biloba, or thousand-coin tree, takes on superb golden colors in autumn. Known for its extreme resistance to the atomic blast of Hiroshima, it is considered the oldest tree in the world.
Opposite the Chapelle tower, it's impossible not to fall under the spell of the two-hundred-year-old oak whose branches touch and spread over the ground.
The various paths through the park and gardens are punctuated by a collection of yew topiaries, many topped by a bird of peace. The ideal setting for a souvenir photo in tribute to the art of gardening.
