June / juin 2015
Garden visit to La Renardière, Mouans-Sartoux, Alpes-Maritimes
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About 30 MGF members met at this beautiful 19th century house near Grasse which belongs to the Fuchs family. We were greeted by Frédéric Fuchs, the third generation of the family to live there. The house and garden was chosen by Woody Allen for the location of a recent film “Magic in the Moonlight”. The 3 hectare garden was partly designed by Russell Page and renovated by Frédéric Fuchs’ father.
It was clear from the way Mr Fuchs described it that the garden is part of a dearly loved family home and he was very happy to share a lifetime of memories with us.
The garden slopes downwards from the house in a series of wide terraces offering a vista of lawns, water, fountains and flower beds.
Four rectangular ponds cut across the garden about halfway down, Alhambra style. Fruit trees and climbing plants cover pergolas.
We saw a greenhouse full of cactus, some of which were planted by Frédéric when he was a child. This is not a garden full of unusual plants, but it impresses due to the form and elegance of its original design and the use of space.
Text and photographs: John and Sandy Graham
