http://giverny-impression.com By Ariane, Guide Interpreter, Giverny France Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:04:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [singlepic=154,350,350,,right]In Monet's garden at Giverny, the month of June is a feast of colors. In the flower garden turned into a rose garden for a month, weeping roses as big as trees fall from their metallic structure in the shape of a mushroom.   Their pink harmonizes with the blues and purples of ... http://giverny-impression.com/the-colors-of-june/ [singlepic=153,350,350,,left]Monet's garden at Giverny is so beautiful at the turn of May and June that it has a taste of Paradise.  In this season, spectacular flowers like irises, paeonies, wallflowers and roses bloom all at the same time. The small walks of the garden disappear, leaving the illusion of a divine meadow ... http://giverny-impression.com/a-taste-of-heaven/ [singlepic=152,350,350,,right]Every year in May, the yellow fields scattered all around in the countryside of Normandy intrigue visitors. - What are they? they keep asking, struck by the vibrant color. No other crop induces so many questions. - Rape seed fields, I answer, trying to speak as distinctly as possible. When visitors of Giverny ... http://giverny-impression.com/yellow-fields/ [singlepic=151,350,350,,left]The beautiful lavender blossom of the paulownia in Monet's flower garden at Giverny harmonizes with the orange azaleas of the water garden, on the other side of the road. The paulownia blooms exactly at the same time than the lavender wisterias gracing Monet's Japanese footbridge. Is it intended or not? What is a coincidence, ... http://giverny-impression.com/paulownia/ [singlepic=150,350,350,,left]American visitors to Giverny often ask to which agricultural zone Giverny belongs.  A puzzling question indeed, as these zones aren't commonly used in France!  Asking about the coldest temperature in Winter doesn't help a lot, because the Frenchs count in Celsius, not in Farenheit. I finally found the answer: Giverny is in zone 8. During ... http://giverny-impression.com/giverny-zone-8/ [singlepic=149,350,350,,right]Early in the morning, long before the first visitor arrives in Monet's garden at Giverny, rays of orange sunshine stroke the Japanese bridge of the water garden, while a light mist raises from the pond.  Monet, who was an early bird, loved to get up before sunrise, in order not to miss a second of the ... http://giverny-impression.com/sunrise-on-giverny/ [singlepic=148,350,350,,right]It has been sunny and dry lately at Giverny. So, when the gardeners start watering in Monet's gardens, it sounds like a relief not only for flowers.  All sorts of tiny little creatures start moving again, as long as the leaves are wet enough to slide on them. I admired this cute little ... http://giverny-impression.com/whimsical-life/ [singlepic=147,350,350,,left]Spring at Giverny is like fireworks renewed every two weeks. Daffodils and hyacinths burst out first, followed by tulips and alliums. Bright colorful bulbs are everywhere, in the middle of the lawns, in squares, in rows, squattered in flowerbeds... The gardens of Claude Monet opened two weeks ago, on April 1st. During the winter, ... http://giverny-impression.com/springtime/ [singlepic=146,240,320,,right]Forthysias are in bloom again at Giverny. Their bright yellow enlightens not only Monet's, but every gardens. Today it is raining a little bit. The sky is overcast and grey, the Seine silvery, the landscape bathed in a mute grey light.  This is the weather forthysias like most for their very special magic. When ... http://giverny-impression.com/forthysia/ [singlepic=145,350,350,,right]Few visitors explore this corner of Monet's gardens at Giverny. It is hidden between his home and a row of linden trees. The pathway leads to nowhere: it used to be the way to Monet's second studio, but the latter is not open to the public. Monet had a small rose ... http://giverny-impression.com/hidden-rose-garden/ [singlepic=144,350,350,,left]The Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco surprises French visitors by the words written on the pediment of the main entrance : Honneur et Patrie. Surprises continue with its beautiful collection of European art including five gorgeous Monets. The biggest one faces visitors at the end of a perspective through several ... http://giverny-impression.com/nympheas/ [singlepic=143,350,350,,left]During the Winter, when Giverny is closed for five months, the shutters of Monet's house remain shut. It must be dark inside, but nobody cares. The shutters prevent the cold wind from entering the building, maintaining a thin layer of warmer air behind the windows. I don't know if the japanese prints are ... http://giverny-impression.com/monets-home-in-winter/ [singlepic=142,350,350,,right]Walking around Monet's pond in summertime gives a strange feeling of deja vu. This place especially, where the long branches of three big weeping willows reach the surface of the pond, offering views on to the blooming water lilies, looks familiar. Claude Monet loved this spot that he painted over and over ... http://giverny-impression.com/through-the-willow/ [singlepic=141,350,350,,left]It was a dream come true for me to enter Monet's garden at sunset to take pictures of the dusk. Cold Winter days finish in a symphony of very tender colors, soft pinks and blues, whereas milder days generally offer dramatic sunsets with flaming reds on low clouds. As it was last week, ... http://giverny-impression.com/giverny-at-twilight/ [singlepic=140,350,350,,right]Monet's pond is frozen. A small coating of snow hides the surface like a new canvas. Long blue shadows stretch on the shining whiteness.  Not a single flower.  Even the brave pansies are covered with a blanket of snow. No colors, except for the green bridges. Birds are hiding, but their prints are everywhere, like strange ... http://giverny-impression.com/snow-at-giverny/