L'Arbre Bleu - The Blue Tree, Paris.

It was a clear, sunny morning of October and I was looking for a suitable caffè to have breakfast; an important decision when you are on holiday but not a complicated decision when you are in Paris.

I was walking in Rue Descartes just beyond the Pantheon when I saw the Blue Tree for the first time.

The mural was painted in 2000 by the Belgian artist Pierre Alechinsky, one of the twelve murals created for the initiative Les Murs de l'An 2000 - Walls of the Year 2000 promoted by the City of Paris. Next to the electric blue tree, the French poet Yves Bonnefoy wrote a short poem entitled 'L'Arbre  Bleu'.
His words are addressed to the passer-by and to the philosophe, to those who look up, above all if they are not on holiday. 

L’Arbre Bleu

                                  Passant,                                    

Regarde ce grand arbre 

                    Et à travers lui                      

Il peut suffire.

Car même déchiré, souillé,  

L’arbre des rues,

C’est toute la nature,

Tout le ciel,

L’oiseau s’y pose,

Le vent y bouge, le soleil

Y dit le même espoir malgré

La mort.

Philosophe,

As-tu chance d’avoir l’arbre

Dans ta rue,

Tes pensées seront moins ardues

Tes yeux plus libres,

Tes mains plus désireuses

De moins de nuit.

The  Blue Tree

Passer-by,

Look at this big tree

And through it  

It may suffice.

For even torn, stained,

The tree of the streets,  

It's all the nature,  

All the sky,  

The bird lands on it,

The wind moves it, the sun  

Tells the same hope despite

The death.

Philosopher,

Have you the chance to have the tree

In your street,  

Your thoughts will be less ardous,

Your eyes freer,

Your hands more eager

Less by night.

Photos:
TravelinaGarden, Paris, October 2009.

Translation:
TravelinaGarden.

Address:
L'Arbre Bleu - Rue Descartes - 5th arrondissement Paris.

To answer your questions... Margaretha Nilson Quinta do Castanheiro, Colares, Portugal.

I had forgotten the beauty of Portuguese gardens but a short stay near Lisbon in spring made me rediscover them.

The International Spring Conference held by the local branch of the Mediterranean Garden Society proved a perfect opportunity to learn more about the past, present and future of Portuguese gardens and to discover them.

1. Back garden and new terrass recovered from
 rebuilding 2 years ago

Visits included old Botanic Gardens and experimental nurseries, as well as small private paradises such as Quinta do Castanheiro near Sintra.
This beautiful old quinta, Portuguese for farm, is set in a mountainous area featuring thick woods, abundant water and a pleasant mild climate. A romantic scenery that, already during the second half of the eighteenth century, attracted wealthy merchants from Lisbon during the summer, and, at the turn of the century, fascinated famous foreign travelers, Lord Byron among them.

Like many typical Portuguese residences, the house at Quinta do Castanheiro was built next to the road and surrounded by walls. Over the years, the estate has changed form and owners, and, today it is the beloved retreat of Margaretha and Bruno, an energetic and sympathetic Swedish couple who has settled here around two years ago. ‘I was lucky to get an old garden with rooms, walls and a nice carpet' explained Margaretha showing us the garden. The steep hillside is divided into terraces with different planting combinations and schemes but a common natural look and a relaxed pleasant atmosphere. Leaving the large terrace in front of the house, you find a simple green lawn bordered by low perennials and shrubs overlooking the surrounding cultivated fields, a large formal garden stretching along the back of the house, where flowers and herbs are bounded by low trimmed boxwood-edges, and an informal area with fruit trees and shrubs such as Strelitzia, lavender, echium and cistus. The terrace above the formal garden is a simple space for open-air games and receptions with a humorous modern sculpture at the entrance. The last terrace is above it: a small tiled tank with peaceful red fish, old camellias and beautiful views. Portuguese tiles recur in the garden, from steps to low walls, both in colored floral patterns and in the traditional blue Azulejos. Next to the large terrace in front of the house, sheltered by a row of slender cypresses and an embroidery of silver leaf shrubs, there is a little secret swimming pool for the hottest days.
Pots of flowers and herbs, chairs and benches are details of everyday life  for a garden that does not forget the past but live in the present.

I asked Margaretha for details and information and she kindly and generously answered me.

TravelinaGarden: Would you tell us something about the history of Quinta do Castanheiro?

MN: The yard was built approximately 150 years ago and had more houses & areal as well, like a vineyard to the Valley on the other side of the road.

TravelinaGarden: How do you combine modern life in this historical garden? 

MN: I think that we and our neighbors live here of passion to Sintra's rich nature, because of that we take responsibility and pay to keep gardens intact and beautiful. Of course, with space for the modern man facilities like pool, croquet and boules terraces...
Gardens live, dies & change so I'll let the garden dance over time and go to rest during the short winter (+ 5 c). We only control microklimats growing power!

As a garden needs structure, form, and dignity to keep charming. For me & Bruno it's very important that our garden is peaceful. A source of pleasure & less commercial cultivation as needed in ancient times. We are fortunate to have a nice neighbor with an excellent BIO-farm which also has chickens, ducks, sheep, cats and dogs. We & they moved here at the same time 2, 5 years ago. We are excited: The BIO farmers contribute in every way to the atmosphere of that this old village had in ancient times as a producer of BIO-farmed food & organic eggs & meat to large farms & household around. Today transformed from luxurious Summer Palace & yards to tourist attraction, rental of "Secret sites" and B&B.

TravelinaGarden: Each terrace has its own characteristics and vegetation. How do they work?

MN: Our garden is arranged in a sequence of terraces surrounded by Eucalyptus and Mimosa forest bonding the large nature reserve above our surrounding farms. You can only see them from the road above. The garden has nearly 30 m case height with different conditions when it comes to light, water and wind zones. It's a great challenge and, at the same time, a piece of cake ...
There are always flowers throughout the year and these beauties take care of themselves more or less. Thanks to the microklimat here, there is no need for greater care in summer either.

We have an experienced & skilled gardener! No bodiebuilders that devastates & destroys the garden in a short period of time against low payment. Our gardener is trained & has many years' experience. Diseased plants end up in the "incubator", get replanted or composted in a natural cycle.

 

TravelinaGarden: Which flowers are you introducing in the garden?

MN: We love trees & vegetation that's why we fell in love in Sintra. We choose only a few flowers that thrive here and are just as happy as the Green Fund, the walls and the lawn is!

I love the combination of beauty and useful herbs, plants and trees. I like to develop a little more and at other appropriate locations, choose more water wise plants! So You are very welcome back, we will probably go to Algarve to find interesting Mediterranean plants to add a twist of the Mediterranean.

 Checklist new plants:

1. Entre' - Step Up: Palm trees in pots 
2. Big Terrass: Bruno's 300 year old Olive tree and 3 unhappy Clematis
3. Pool terrass: 10 year old lemon tree + the lime trees from neighbors. I love the smell by pool
4. Sloping terrass: Unhappy Portuguese flowers ....
5. Herb terrass:
   Mint, Salvia, Oregano, Dragon, Basilika, RoseMarin, Thyme, Koriander, Lemon Meliss, 
6. Activity Terrass:
   Two Jaqarandan tree  4,5m high, no flowers yet) & lots of happy Hortencia & Vinka. 
7. Fruit terrass:
   Lots of lavender, some raspberries -a test, might need more sun...
8. Top terrass: Mediterranean plants

TravelinaGarden: What are your project for the garden in the near future?

MN: Bruno & I want to grow old with the garden, on generously. Just check it, add wise water plants and play more classic music in our garden to keep our plants happy! And use less noisy machines in the garden, to keep harmony for us, neighbors & the garden. We like the gardens be a different kinds of retreats.

Photos:
TravelinaGarden, May 2015.


Links:
Mediterranean Garden Association, Portugal Branch.
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/branches-pt.html