From Marie-Antoinette's Garden: An Eighteenth-Century Horticultural Album - Hardcover

De Feudeau, Elisabeth

4.71

24 ratings by Goodreads

9782080201423: From Marie-Antoinette's Garden: An Eighteenth-Century Horticultural Album

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 2080201425 ISBN 13: 9782080201423

Publisher: Flammarion, 2013

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A horticultural tour of Marie-Antoinette’s domain, the lavishly constructed gardens at Versailles, accompanied by eighteenth-century archival illustrations. Plants, flowers, and trees were Marie-Antoinette’s passion; she transformed the Petit Trianon’s gardens into an enchanted escape from the oppressive shackles of Versailles. Based on archival documents, this book meanders through Marie-Antoinette’s estate as the queen herself would have walked it: traversing hyacinths, buttercups, and anemones in the French Gardens, via winding paths in the Anglo-Chinese Gardens, through the conifers of the Belvedere Gardens—where fabulous nocturnal parties were hosted—past the entrancing aromas of the shrubs surrounding the Temple of Love, to the wildflowers of the Garden of Solitude. This fascinating reconstruction includes descriptions of the cosmetic and medicinal uses of the garden’s plants, anecdotes from the royal court, and watercolors of the herbarium.

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About the Author:

Historian and perfume specialist �lisabeth de Feydeau has published books on perfume. She teaches at the �cole des Parfumeurs in Versailles. Catherine P�gard is the president of the �tablissement Public du Ch�teau, du Mus�e, et du Domaine National de Versailles.

Review:

"Charming archival illustrations of those and other favorites, from carnations to bell heathers, decorate �lisabeth de Feydeau’s From Marie Antoinette’s Garden, a detailed horticultural tour of the queen’s cherished retreat. While some blooms there served a practical purpose—for a royal headache, try lavender—many more were imported at exorbitant costs, which did little to help the queen’s image problem. Modern gardeners need not worry about cultivating quite so much controversy." ~Vogue.com

“..impressively researched book...we get an idea of how the grounds were laid out, and some of the plants and flowers the Queen saw on a daily basis, thanks in part to illustrations of the herbarium..” ~Flavorwire

“Full of historical and botanical information as well as entertaining anecdotes about the royal court, this lovely herbarium includes illustrations by renowned botanist Pierre Joseph Redoute.” ~France Magazine

“..a new historical account explores the teen queen’s passion for nature.” ~Stylecourt.com

“From Marie Antoinette’s Garden takes readers on an imaginary stroll through the ever-charming, delightful and beautiful world of Marie Antoinette’s gardens...a well-crafted, delightful look at one of the grandest gardens of the 18th century. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in Marie Antoinette, gardens and flowers, or French history.” ~Vivelaqueen Blog

“..a compilation of the plants and flowers...as if she herself recorded in an herbarium each specimen and each seed that she collected from all over the world...each revealing different glimpses into the woman who lived a charming and at the end, courageous and tragic life. From Marie-Antoinette’s Garden, you’ll discover the very many plants and flowers she collected, how she enjoyed them and perhaps a bit of the woman herself. I think this intriguing volume filled with botanical plates of the very many plants that fulfilled Marie-Antoinette’s passion for gardening would be one that you will come to enjoy and to explore.” ~A Delightsome Life

“From Marie Antoinette’s Garden, offering a fascinating look into the favorite pastime of one of history’s greatest figures.” ~Dujour