Alchemy gardens

On this estate of 6 ha, nestled in a meander of the Charente river, stands a castle with an eclectic architecture inherited from the numerous alterations made by successive owners over the centuries.Today, the park, made up of vast lawns, meadow moats, water moats and wooded plots, lacks coherence : the spaces are juxtaposed without any real transitions or global design thoughts. However the landscape is remarkable, and its potential just waiting to be revealed.The uniqueness of the castle lies in particular in its sculpted doorway. Local legend has it that it illustrates the main principles of alchemy.Alchemy has therefore become a guiding principle, linking the history of the castle and the various entities of the park in the making.A historical and landscape diagnosis of the site was carried out to determine the design intentions for this exceptional site, through the prism of the alchemy theme. The feasibility study that followed the diagnosis was based on the following principles: - To create a homogenous landscape atmosphere, while at the same time creating thematic gardens with identities. - Designing a fluid visitor route, guided by the quest for the marvelous - Respecting a perfect symbiosis between mineral and plant elementsFrom there, specific landscape entities are created, according to several scenarios, responding to the program as well as to the regulatory and heritage constraints of the place. images : @Malcolm Dax - @NS_P