“I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers” -Claude Monet

 

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This post is in a series of two posts with the home of Monet coming next as I had so many photos of Monet’s wonderful flowers and then Monet’s home I just had to share.

Plan Your Trip

• Book tickets and tours
• Book Pre or Post Hotels and Short Stays
• Find a Luxury Hotel

For a full list of flowers at Claude Monet’s gardens see the links at the bottom of this post.

The Claude Monet gardens in Giverny are the centre of attention for tourists visiting but the Monet house and home is just as interesting and unique. View his home here

The gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny

Claude Monet bought his house in the village of Giverny in 1890. His desire was to create beautiful gardens.

The grounds of the house feature two gardens; the Clos Normand flower garden and the Japanese-inspired water garden.

You can see just why Monet bought the extra piece of land across the road to make the water lily garden. Monet even diverted a river and to get planning agreements from the local town. 

These gardens were his source or inspiration for paintings and for the rest of his life in Giverny.

 

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece”- Claude Monet

 

If you are looking to drive it is easily done by car and you can stay in the beautiful town too if you are lucky enough to be able to book a room.

Etang Des Nymphea’s- The Water Lily Pond

When you arrive at Claude Monet’s Water Lily gardens it is full to the brim of trees and plants in a lustrous green. The beds are packed and overflowing with glorious flowers of every type imaginable. A path winds around the pond with mature trees and hedgerows keeping you sheltered from the outside world. 

The huge willow tree that is also seen in many of Monet’s paintings dangles it’s branches over the lake. It is mo wonder Claude Monet loved his garden.

One of the marvellous things about Claude Monets garden is the way it has been designed much in the same way as Claude Monets paintings, a riot of colour and texture. 

“Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment.”- Claude Monet

Beds are full of annuals, perennials, and biennials in various tones of colour. This is the perfect place for those designing their gardens. Monet was inspired to paint in his garden in the same way it inspires people who visit it now. 

The beds of flowers change from mixes of yellow and orange to pale pinks and purples. You will see a range of irises, dahlias, gorgeous sunflowers as well as Japanese acres. 

As we went in July so we saw also saw roses, nasturtiums, ageratums, zinnias, nicotianas, busy lizzies, verbenas, rudbeckias, salvias, primulinus gladiolus, cleomes, cosmos, helianthus and hollyhocks.

The Japanese bridge in Water Lily Pond.

The larger Japanese bridge which was put in the garden by Claude Monet and is adorned by the most beautiful wisteria which climbs its way overhead shading walkers below. He enlarged the existing pond, filling it with exotic new hybrid water lilies. He also built a humpback bridge at one end, inspired by examples seen in his collected Japanese prints. The water garden became the main obsession of Monet’s later career, and the subject of some 250 paintings. 

The hordes of tourists that come here each year wander around taking photos. It’s hard to imagine a lone painter on his boat in the water painting his water lilies.

The Clos Normand flower garden

After visiting the water lily garden you pass back under the tunnel to the main gardens of the house. Here you will find neat rows of plants in striking colours alongside Apple trees and lavender.

You can see the gardeners working on the garden all year round watering plants and tiding the beds. When Claude Monet was alive he hired seven gardeners to help him while he directed.

Claude Monet’s House and studio.

The last part of your tour is the home of Claude Monet. The windows from the house had the must spectacular views of Claude Monet’s Gardens in Giverny France.

Claude Monets house is a long house what’s known in France as a longue ( very long house). Claude Monet had the windows painted green along with the verandas so the house extended in to the Garden.

The green of the windows blends in to the garden. Visiting Claude Monets house is a must and for me was just as exciting as the gardens. 

Each is room in Claude Monet’s house designed with a different theme or colour in a some-what comical kind of way. You can tell Claude loved colour.

Each room was also adorned with Monet’s personal belongings and plenty of art!

Unfortunately the artworks on show at Monet’s house are not originals but it gives you an idea of exactly how his home would have once been. 

Tips for visiting claude monets garden

• Arrive early before it opens as it get’s very busy.
• Visit the Impressionist museum just down the road ( beware it closes for week every july! )
• Buy tickets in advance online to skip the queue
• There are plenty of small cafes in the area for a bite to eat
• Buy some seeds from the gardens in the gift shop to start your very own Monet Garden
• Pick up the guides in the rooms to show you details of the paintings

When should I Visit Claude Monet’s Gardens?

The Claude Monet Foundation opens in March and closes November 1st. It may be busier during the school holidays. Arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds and the tours from cruise ships. 

Visiting Claude Monet’s garden in the spring brings you beautiful tulips and daffodils. Visit in August and September for a totally different experiance.

What flowers are at Claude Monets Gardens?

There are flowers in bloom at all times of the year. See this flowering calendar of Claude Monets gardens to work out what you want to see and when to visit. October looks like a truely good time to visit when it is less crowded and all of the Dahlias will be in full bloom.

While we where there in July we saw the Beginning of water lilies.

For a full list of the flowers all year round in Claude Monets garden you can find them here 

You can purchase advance tickets through the Giverny official site which will direct you to Ticketmaster