Panneau jardins English – Les Jardins du Chateau de Cordes

The Gardens of Château de Cordès
French Formal Gardens

French formal gardens (jardins à la française) are a style of garden that emerged in France during the 17th century, characterized by a rigorous geometric layout and mankind’s mastery over nature. They are distinguished by symmetrical axes, carefully planned perspectives, precisely designed parterres, straight pathways, ornamental ponds, fountains, and meticulously clipped hedges. Their design aims to create a sense of harmony and balance .

The most famous example is the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, designed by André Le Nôtre. Like this masterpiece, the gardens of Château de Cordès were also designed by André Le Nôtre at the end of the 17th century. They remain a testament to the exceptional skill of the greatest landscape architect of his time and to the defining principles of the French formal garden.

The Hedges

The hedges that structure the gardens are mainly composed of hornbeam and beech trees. Originally planted when the gardens were created, they have been gradually renewed over the centuries with younger trees in order to maintain their density and vitality.

Today, depending on their location within the gardens, the hedges range from 4 to 6 metres in height. They are trimmed once a year, between September and October.

The work is carried out in three stages:
– an initial trim from ground level,
– a second stage using scaffolding,
– and a final pass with a cherry picker to reach the highest sections.

Trimming all of the hedges requires approximately six weeks of work.

The Boxwood

An essential feature of the French formal garden, the boxwood shapes the parterres and geometric patterns that define the garden’s design. It is trimmed annually between May and June. The boxwood balls and the flat tops of the parterres are carefully shaped by hand using shears, while the sides are maintained with electric hedge trimmers.

Box tree moth

Papillon Pyrale du buis (Box tree moth)
Papillon de la pyrale (Box tree Caterpillar)
Feuilles mangés par la chenille (Leaves eaten by the caterpillar)

For several years, the gardens have faced the challenge of the box tree moth, whose caterpillars can cause significant damage. As a result, constant monitoring is required from April through October. To control infestations, the boxwood is treated with a biological product based on Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), pheromone traps are installed to capture male moths, and caterpillars are also removed by hand when necessary.

The Yew Trees

The yew trees, clipped into elegant cone shapes, are another characteristic feature of the gardens. They are trimmed each year in July to preserve their distinctive form.

The yews, along with the boxwood, were planted in the 1960s. At that time, the owner of the château undertook the restoration of the interiors of the two square gardens according to the original plans. During the Second World War, these areas had been converted into orchards to meet wartime food needs.

The Rose Garden

The roses currently displayed in the gardens were planted between 2025 and 2026. The two square gardens contain fourteen different varieties of roses in shades of white, pink, and purple.

Together with the smaller rose beds scattered throughout the park, the estate is home to more than twenty different rose varieties. In keeping with an environmentally responsible approach, only organic soil amendments are used, including Bactériosol. To control aphids, black soap is used as a natural treatment.