01 May 2010

Theme Day - Statues: Venus at Serre de la Madone


First of the month and it's Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. Subject: statues. Menton has many beautiful statues and here is a favourite of mine: Venus who stands in one of the beautiful pools at the garden of Serre de la Madone.

In 1907, Major Lawrence Johnston, an American born in Paris, started to create an outstanding garden at Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, England - incidentally, the first garden to be designated a National Trust garden. In 1924, he bought a large piece of land on the Route de Gorbio in Menton with the intention of creating a garden for sub-tropical plants. The result - Serre de la Madone with its fountains, pools, classical statuary, green garden rooms, a Moorish patio, orangeries for tender exotic plants and so on. Menton is famous for its beautiful gardens and this has to be one of the most beautiful.

Major Johnston travelled the world over a thirty-year period seeking plants he could acclimatise in his seven hectares of terraces at Serre de la Madone. He employed twelve gardeners and planted his prizes amongst the ancient olives. He died in 1958 at Serre de la Madone. After many years of neglect, the gardens have now been restored by the Conservatoire du Littoral who bought the garden in 1999 with the help of the Conseil Generale des Alpes-Martimes and other official organisations.

To see statues featured by other CDP bloggers from around the world please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

30 comments:

  1. Major Johnston did a good job. Nice to see that the garden has now been restored.

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  2. Someday, she will be as green as the plants around her. I love moss.

    The gardens look and sound wonderful. Bless Major Johnston and the Conservatoire du Littoral.

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  3. She's lovely in her mossy gauze.

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  4. Great theme day photo!

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  5. How wonderful to leave such a beautiful place as a legacy.

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  6. It is always a joy to know that someone of sensibility recreates and rejunenates something to treasure.

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  7. Evocative and classical scene unknown in my location.

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  8. She really looks alive in this graceful pose.

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  9. What a lovely statue in a beautiful park! Perfect for theme day!

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  10. very pretty for theme day. so peaceful and the statue fits perfectly into its surroundings. this is like a painitng

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  11. A dream. Un songe. Un sogno.

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  12. I love public gardens, in part because there always seems to be public art right there too. A lovely place to be sure.

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  13. This must be a beautiful place to wander around...
    Thanks for answering my email and giving me the name of that car.
    have a good WE

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  14. The statue is just lovely. Nice to know the American connection. I adore the photo of the young male flautist. We know a 14 year old boy in our town who plays the flute and is quite accomplished. They need a t-shirt that says, "The smaller the instrument, the bigger the person." (a little joke as it is very American to have a t-shirt for everything).

    Jan
    GDP

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  15. Anonymous01 May, 2010

    I like the locale. It really looks nice.

    Really nice shots in this post. I also admired some of your earlier posts.

    I live in Brookville, Ohio and am an old man at 75 and have been married to the same lady for 55 years. Got 5 adult children, and three are past 50.

    I began taking photos in 1953 when I was in the service stationed in Japan. I have been at it ever since.

    My problem with digital images is that I can take 100 to 500 in one sitting trying to get that perfect image of a bird doing something nobody else has ever seen before. I think I got at least one.

    This one shows a young grackle being fed and the youngster is showing his teeth.

    Go to My Birds Blog to see it.

    http://mybirdsblog.blogspot.com/

    Thanks for the visit.

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  16. Old Venus looks like she could use a good power wash.

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  17. This is beautiful! And no evil looking dwarf around!

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  18. Graceful lady. Love the way she blends into her surroundings.

    Buon primo maggio!

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  19. Quite a story with this wonderful image.

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  20. Very serene setting. I am sure there are spectacular gardens in the area.

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  21. Great shot. It must be very beautiful place.

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  22. It is pretty, elegant and a good choice.
    Nice colors and light too.

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  23. Thank you for sharing this beautiful garden and statuary with us. What a great story and post.

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  24. She's beautiful. Feels like a lovely garden to relax in

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  25. Can't believe I missed this yesterday, J! I love it. Is the garden open to the likes of me and Mr F?

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  26. Richard, yes absolutely. It's open to the public. In fact when you and Mr. F come up to lunch, we'll go there first or after if you look. It's on the Route de G.

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  27. Beautiful shades of green! Lovely shot, Jilly!

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  28. A romantic vision, a painting come to life.

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