Monet’s garden at Giverny mid-June. Click to enlarge.

In June, roses blossom in every gardens, and especially in Monet’s flower garden at Giverny. The painter loved to trim them along trellises of all kinds, tripods, arches, or these big mushrooms that are so iconic for Giverny. 

June is also the time for poppies and alliums, the big round shaped garlic flowers. Not to mention the huge pigamon, aka thalictrum aquilegifolia, that looks like mauve powder. The garden is full of pinks, reds and purples.

Summer will turn it yellow. Can you see the big leaves in the foreground of the pic? Sunflowers are growing now, to surprise visitors with their dinner plate golden flowers in a month.  

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Is there fish in Monet’s pond at Giverny? This is a question visitors ask frequently.

The water lily pond houses a few big carps, maybe eight according to the gardeners.

There are also smaller fish like ruds, that have orange fins, and at least a perch and a pike.

All of them are wild fish that can be found in streams nearby.

They contribute to the ecosystem of the pond and are invaluable to keep this little microcosm balanced. 

The Giverny fish are greyish, silvery, but not colorful. No koi carps here, although they would add to the oriental look of the garden. 

As mute as they may be, they are visible enough for the heron that visits the pond at dawn. The water is too deep for him to stand in it, but he stays on the side and keeps a close eye on the fish, hoping one will come near enough to be turned into his breakfast.

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