The Hanging Garden

In Périgord, 150,000 boxwood shrubs become the protagonists of a surreal landscape

Overlooking Dordogne from a rocky spur in the postcard landscape of Périgord, the Jardins Suspendus of the chateau built at the end of the 17th century by Bertrand Vernet de Marqueyssac, advisor to the Sun King, cover 22 hectares. An anonymous follower of the brilliant André Le nôtre, creator of the gardens of Versailles, transformed a splendid Baroque garden into a manifesto of the most extreme topiary art. The client for this orgy of pruning was Julien de Cervel, the last lord of the chateau, who in 1860 financed the purchase and the mad idea of a French garden that could have no imitators.

Something like 150,000 boxwood shrubs stand on the slopes of the park like a giant herd of green sheep freshly shorn in soft, rounded geometric shapes. In spite of the forced dominance over nature, the result is almost one of serenity and aplomb. Though the aesthetic codes at work here have little in common with the antique art of gardening. They are contemporary, even pop. not by chance, when looking for an ideal set for the cover of the Bush album by Snoop Dogg, photographer Philippe Jarrigeon found the park of Marqueyssac. What you see here are the shots he made for Pin-Up magazine: «With the journalist Felix Burrichter, we understood that we had to reveal the magic of these shrubs. This garden is a surreal place. I am now obsessed with topiary art». The massive purchase of boxwood bushes by Julien de Cervel has made this park a perfect location for photos, 100% perfect for Instagram.

«In all,let Nature never be forgot. But treat the Goddess like a modest fair,

Nor over-dress,nor leave her wholly bare» alexander pope