Patricia Laigneau: Art Historian & Botanist

Patricia Laigneau’s love for gardening goes back to her childhood. She was always in gardens, drawn to the feeling of serenity that flowers and trees gave her.

“They cure me. They heal me. They soothe me.”

After purchasing the Château du Rivau with her husband, Patricia realized that to maintain the naturalistic gardens, it was important to know about botany.

The Château looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale. Patricia loves to design the gardens in ways that bring out the whimsical energy of the property. Not only are these choices like a cat shaped hedge maze fun, but they can also offer function in the sustainability of the gardens.

“I thought, well, we have to have a maze, because mazes are very important to biodiversity because they shelter in the winter all of the good bugs.”

Contemporary art can be seen throughout the gardens as well. She chooses pieces that add to the story she’s trying to tell with the plants.

“When I got older, I thought well, actually, I should have studied to become an artist…to be able to create a garden, I became a little artist.”

A film by Leslie Askew.