Par Laurent Renon
Published on August 12, 23 at 8:14 See my news Follow Le Courrier du Pays de Retz Practical and artistic bamboo structures, made by the couple, punctuate the walk in the garden. ©Le Courrier du pays de Retz
When you walk in the garden of Beaumont, time no longer has a hold on you. In this island of tranquility and harmony where plant paintings follow one another, the journey is immediate. No need to go very far to feel out of place.
This is what makes this place dedicated to nature so unique, a few hundred meters from the town of Fresnay en Retz (Villeneuve en Retz).
4 hectares totally vegetated
Since 1984, Marc and Brigitte Robin have given themselves body and soul to this somewhat crazy project of transforming agricultural land acquired with a farmhouse into a haven of greenery. A plot of 1.5 ha at the start, then an extension of 2.5 additional ha from 1996.
This is the year we sowed potted trees which we replanted the following year. As soon as we arrived, I wanted to reproduce everything that can be seen in our region, with the wish to save certain species.
Marc Robin
Nix, the labrador, walks quietly in the Beaumont garden designed and created by Marc and Brigitte Robin. ©Le Courrier du pays de Retz
Nearly forty years later, this landscaped garden has around 5,000 trees and shrubs, perennials, aquatic plants, 110 varieties of bamboo, a pond, a dozen ponds and of course a vegetable patch.
early ecologist
As a child, Marc Robin was sensitive to his environment, introduced to fauna and flora from an early age by his father who practiced taxidermy. He then immersed himself in reading, among other things, the books of René Dumont, one of the founders of French political ecology.
Not long ago, while reading the definition of eco-anxiety, I understood that it corresponded perfectly to me. I always had the feeling that everything could go wrong. So either we live in anguish, or we invest ourselves completely in trying to be useful.
Marc Robin
The now retired agricultural adviser chose the second option.
A search for perspectives and poetry
With his wife Brigitte, they started from scratch and wrote this ode to nature, giving free rein to their inspiration. Gardeners are always looking for perspectives, a line of flight where the viewer can flourish.
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“We are not going to concentrate on a plant in itself, it is what we do with all the vegetation that is interesting, underlines this creator of poetic landscapes. The pleasure is to create the compositions even if you don’t master everything. And we have to make sure that it lasts with permanent maintenance…”
At the bottom of the plot, an observatory allows you to appreciate the natural riches of the pond, especially the birds. ©Le Courrier du pays de Retz
If Marc Robin built this project essentially to give a refuge to the fauna, of which he observes a collapse of species on the scale of the garden, he is also worried about the health of some of his trees. Ink disease attacks Turkey oaks, probably weakened by the 2022 drought, as well as American honey locusts in poor shape. A water stress that also worries the owner of the premises for years to come.
“An essential sharing”
At the far end of the plot, Marc Robin watches over the hatching of the giant bonesets, which sway at the edge of the pond. Deep pink flowers should appear within a few days.
I remember magical moments in the garden that you can only see if you walk the paths a thousand times.
Marc Robin
Given the size of the park and the work to be done, the couple always has something to take care of and stay active, but that does not prevent them from taking the time to meditate and welcome “explorers”. “.
“Sharing is essential,” says Marc Robin. I have everything to learn and it’s an exchange when visitors come. On the other hand, I don’t want those who come here to arrive by chance. You can see right away if people are sensitive to the environment. If they can feel sensations while discovering the garden, that also makes us happy. »
Beaumont Garden, in Fresnay en Retz, Villeneuve en Retz. Visit by appointment. Contacts: 06 19 93 04 91 or 06 26 27 84 49. Price: adult, €5; free for children under 12.
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