Monet's Garden - The Japanese Water Garden

Leaving the Clos Normand side of the gardens, we descended into the tunnel that runs beneath the highway and crossed over to The Japanese Water Garden side of Monet's creation.

After Monet's death in 1926, his step-daughter did her best to maintain the premises, but time and German bombs in World War II left the home damaged and in disrepair and the gardens barren of flowers and overgrown with weeds. Monet's son bequeathed the property to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1966 and after years of extensive renovation that was assisted by copious notes by Monet himself and eyewitness accounts of those who worked in the gardens, it was reopened in 1980. Today, the gardens are exact replicas of what Monet himself experienced a century ago.

Here's a picture of Cindy and her mom on the first bridge.

One of the small streams through the Water Garden.

I really like this shot of Cindy and her mom.

Here's another art student sketching and, if you look at the inset, you can see she is adding a wash to the sketch. When I stopped and asked, in English, if she would mind if I took a picture of her she looked up a little startled and replied, "Oh, sure" in English as well. The gentleman with her asked me where I was from and I said, "Orlando, Florida, USA" and he said "We're from Gainesville, Florida". It really is a small world, isn't it?"

Cindy and I.

Cindy and her mom in front of the lily pond

The lily pond.

Here's a small video from the Japanese Water Garden.

Another beautiful flower.

Cindy's mom on the opposite shore of the lily pond.

A beautiful flower on the bank of the lily pond.

Cindy's mom in front of the lily pond.

Another...ok you already know.

Cindy and her mom in front of a tree.

Contemplating all the beauty of the gardens.

When you stroll through the gardens, or even just sit and soak in the natural beauty of the flowers, plants, trees, ponds and architecture, it is truly a wonderful experience. To know that, what you have seen painted by a master such as Claude Monet and rendered on canvas in masterpieces that are now displayed on museum walls, these gardens are exactly what he drew inspiration from, not only in visual sense but on a multitude of levels such as the sounds of the wind and birds, the fragrance of the flowers and even the impossible to quantify "feeling" that washes over you and through you.

It is so easy to see why artists are drawn here. In another life, I would love to be here sketching, drawing, painting and gathering inspiration from the surroundings of this town and garden. But it is not only artists who are attracted to this place, it is anyone who appreciates the expression of art and life from nature, which is found in abundance here in Giverny and Monet's Garden. This is an amazing place and I will be forever thankful that we spent time visiting the home and gardens of the father of Impressionism.

Next Post: An Afternoon in Giverny