In the sleepy little village of Giverny, near the town of Vernon, the famous impressionist artist Claude Monet spent half his life. Many of his iconic works were inspired by the beautiful gardens he cultivated alongside the River Seine. Monet moved here in 1883 and remained until his death in 1926. Even in his lifetime the place became a pilgramage destination for artists.
When Kongo visited the gardens and home of Monet the place was exploding with colors. Particularly stunning was the famous water garden and lily pond that Monet built. The gardens, with their vibrant flowers, water lilies, and Japanese bridge, became central motifs in Monet’s paintings, especially in his later years. The gardens gave him a constant source of inspiration right outside his home.
In 1893, Monet bought additional land across the road from his house and created a Japanese-inspired water garden. This featured a large pond with the famous Japanese bridge covered in wisteria, as well as water lilies, azaleas, and other aquatic plants. The water garden was full of asymmetries and curves, inspired by the Japanese prints that Monet collected.
Visitors can walk through the home of Monet where he lived with his family. In his home are lots of Japanese prints and art from the artist himself. He also bought and collected art from other artists he fancied.
The Clos Normand flower garden was a one-hectare garden in front of Monet’s house that he designed and cultivated himself. It featured a central alley covered by iron arches with climbing roses, surrounded by flowerbeds with a variety of flowers of different heights and colors, including rare and exotic plants that Monet collected. Monet did not like formal, constrained gardens and instead let the flowers grow freely, mixing simple blooms like daisies and poppies with more rare varieties.
Monet saw his gardens as an extension of his art, a “living work of art” that he could continuously paint and refine. The gardens became an integral part of his artistic practice and vision.
Mrs. Kongo enjoying the gardens. Below, Stu and Sherry from Long Island seem to be overwhelmed with the beauty of the Norman garden plots
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