While leafing through my ancient copy of The Book of Gardens and Gardening edited byCountry Life from 1924, I found these amazing pictures of Elsie de Wolfe’s garden. The garden was at her Villa Trianon in Versailles just outside of Paris. What caught my eye first were the standards which are not the usual roses, but pink geraniums in a bed of blue aubretia which must have been very striking against the green grass.
The stylish Miss de Wolfe had a walk lined in ivy topiary arches which framed the beautiful Dorothy Parker roses.
Known for her use of treillage its no surprise to find it in her garden.
Her pool fed by a simple single jet of water. I wonder what the low shrub is around the pool. Lavender or absinthe maybe?
Even her little tool shed was chic enough for Country Life to feature.
What a gorgeous garden! Oh to have a tool shed that looks like that..and the lavender around the pool-what a unique and brilliant idea-so devine :-) Thank you for sharing them.
Cristine
I love that garden! Perfection!
Silver MLM
I just finished a book on de Wolfe... apparently the garden had a topiary Elephant installed for a party in the 1940s... she was such a fabulous person!
Nice garden, Interesting sculptural peices!
What lovely photos! Elsie was quite a gal, and there is definitely a reason she is the Patron Saint of Decorating. "Listen to Mother." as she was fond of saying.
Do you by chance have a copy of THE SMALLER HOUSES AND GARDENS OF VERSAILLES? (The Pencil Points Press/1926.) There is an entire 'chapter' on the Villa Trianon with many lovely photos--including one of the standard roses linked by self-garlands trained over ropes or chains. Enchanting.
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