A group of 12 from the LLC garden group
went to visit the beautiful gardens of Latour-Marliac
specialising in the cultivation of hardy water lilies on a very hot Thursday 5 September.
The founder, Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac born in Granges-sur-Lot, a naturalist, founded the nursery in 1875.
Initially, he created a national collection of bamboos. He then met Joseph Paxton (head gardener at Chatsworth) who was the first to cross tropical water lilies and thus developed his passion.
The first hardy water lily in France was the white ‘Alba’ from North America.
By crossing this lily with other wild varieties, Latour-Marliac was able to build a wonderful collection whose colours range from delicate pastels to fuscia and deep red.
The collection today consists of about 300 varieties – there are 90 in their national collection (not sold to the public – used only for propagation).
In 1889 Latour-Marliac exhibited his collection of 19 varieties at the World’s Fair in Paris. He set-up in the water gardens in front of the Trocadéro. He was such a sensation that he won first prize in their category.
Claude Monet
was a visitor to this Fair and he was so taken with their beauty and that of the water garden that he bought the property in Giverny and began to develop his famous water gardens ordering his lilies from Latour-Marliac.
These lilies then became more famous as the subject matter for the paintings known as ‘Nymphéas’ some of which are displayed at the Orangerie Museum in Paris today. The two men together made France the birthplace of the water lily.
The nursery remained in the Latour-Marliac family being inherited and continued by his children.
In 1990 it was then sold to an English family and became Davis Water Gardens and opened to the public.
They constructed the tropical greenhouse which houses the ‘Victoria’ giant water lily (which flowered in her reign and was named in her honour).
This can weigh up to 25 kilos (100 kilos in the wild Amazonia!)
Interestingly its flowers are nocturnal flowering - the first night as a female white flower and the second night as a red hot male flower! The flowers mature in June and can measure one foot diameter and the pads up to four feet! The flower is pollinated by a ladybird being trapped; the flower re-opens the next night releasing the ladybird for pollination.
Joseph Paxton was the first to grow this lily.
The nursery was then sold again in 2005 to an American Professor of the Sorbonne who was visiting the gardens, fell in love with them, realised they were for sale and bought them!
He extended the gardens and opened the restaurant in 2008 where we all had an excellent lunch.
Amazingly there is just ONE gardener who looks after the entire gardens and lake!
(see here the video created by Marcella from the visit)
Today the nursery sells and exports water lilies worldwide and estimate that 70% of all water lilies sold are Marliac varieties. Hardy water lilies can withstand most cold winters (provided the ice does not reach the roots).
Tropical water lilies, however, must be over-wintered in a greenhouse (or warmer surroundings). They thrive in a water temperature of 12°C.
Generally water lilies flower in the second year for about 3-5 days May to October and are best planted in a clay soil in a sunny position.
The plants have a long life span and can live up to 25 years. They can be propagated by dividing the rhizone every 2 years.
The ‘Lotus’ lily grows its giant leaves out of the water and has a most beautiful flower revealing an unusual central seed pod. The petals fall away after 3-5 days and the seed pod will ripen. It has a hard outer which for germination has to be split to allow the shoot to grow. Alternatively, the banana-shaped rhizone can be split after a nodule.
They are an easy perennial to grow and nearer to home, Barbotan-les-Thermes has wonderful examples to see in their ponds.
---------------------------------------------------------
(Thanks to Denise for writing the 'report' and her images)
The 2013 LLC gardengroup meeting agenda for this year is as follows
(all information and itinerary will be announced in time) if you like to participate please contact:
Ladieslunchclub secretary:
lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com
Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month.
The agenda for the year 2013 please note the dates always at 14.30h:
The founder, Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac born in Granges-sur-Lot, a naturalist, founded the nursery in 1875.
Initially, he created a national collection of bamboos. He then met Joseph Paxton (head gardener at Chatsworth) who was the first to cross tropical water lilies and thus developed his passion.
The first hardy water lily in France was the white ‘Alba’ from North America.
By crossing this lily with other wild varieties, Latour-Marliac was able to build a wonderful collection whose colours range from delicate pastels to fuscia and deep red.
The collection today consists of about 300 varieties – there are 90 in their national collection (not sold to the public – used only for propagation).
In 1889 Latour-Marliac exhibited his collection of 19 varieties at the World’s Fair in Paris. He set-up in the water gardens in front of the Trocadéro. He was such a sensation that he won first prize in their category.
Claude Monet
 |
| Claude Monet |
These lilies then became more famous as the subject matter for the paintings known as ‘Nymphéas’ some of which are displayed at the Orangerie Museum in Paris today. The two men together made France the birthplace of the water lily.
The nursery remained in the Latour-Marliac family being inherited and continued by his children.
In 1990 it was then sold to an English family and became Davis Water Gardens and opened to the public.
They constructed the tropical greenhouse which houses the ‘Victoria’ giant water lily (which flowered in her reign and was named in her honour).
This can weigh up to 25 kilos (100 kilos in the wild Amazonia!)
Interestingly its flowers are nocturnal flowering - the first night as a female white flower and the second night as a red hot male flower! The flowers mature in June and can measure one foot diameter and the pads up to four feet! The flower is pollinated by a ladybird being trapped; the flower re-opens the next night releasing the ladybird for pollination.
Joseph Paxton was the first to grow this lily.
The nursery was then sold again in 2005 to an American Professor of the Sorbonne who was visiting the gardens, fell in love with them, realised they were for sale and bought them!
He extended the gardens and opened the restaurant in 2008 where we all had an excellent lunch.
Amazingly there is just ONE gardener who looks after the entire gardens and lake!
(see here the video created by Marcella from the visit)
Today the nursery sells and exports water lilies worldwide and estimate that 70% of all water lilies sold are Marliac varieties. Hardy water lilies can withstand most cold winters (provided the ice does not reach the roots).
Tropical water lilies, however, must be over-wintered in a greenhouse (or warmer surroundings). They thrive in a water temperature of 12°C.
Generally water lilies flower in the second year for about 3-5 days May to October and are best planted in a clay soil in a sunny position.
The plants have a long life span and can live up to 25 years. They can be propagated by dividing the rhizone every 2 years.
They are an easy perennial to grow and nearer to home, Barbotan-les-Thermes has wonderful examples to see in their ponds.
---------------------------------------------------------
(Thanks to Denise for writing the 'report' and her images)
The 2013 LLC gardengroup meeting agenda for this year is as follows
(all information and itinerary will be announced in time) if you like to participate please contact:
Ladieslunchclub secretary:
lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com
Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month.
The agenda for the year 2013 please note the dates always at 14.30h:
3rd October
7th November
5th December.
We would like to get your suggestions for garden visits. Please let us know if you have ideas or wishes.
Also let us know who would like to host one of the meetings of the garden group.
No comments:
Post a Comment