Gardens of Normandy
Last week I travelled to France to co-host the Gardens of Normandy with Sharon Santoni of MFCH Travel. A week full of beautiful gardens, delicious food and treasure hunting at some of the regions best antique stores and fairs. It was a week of pure inspiration for me, capturing and documenting the tour as we travelled to some of Normandy’s many glorious and diverse gardens including Monet’s Giverny and Jacques Garcia’s Domaine du Champ de Bataille. Sharon has been running luxury small group tours in France for over twelve years and generously shares her knowledge of antiques, the regions rich history and love of garden design with her guests.
Sharon’s Normandy Farmhouse
It was an absolute joy to visit Sharon’s home and garden in a quiet Normandy village. I’ve seen her garden on so many Instagram posts and admired it from afar. I was beyond excited to see it for real, still full of colour with an abundance of dahlias. Cutting from someone else’s garden always feels a privilege and we gathered a few bucketfuls for the floral design class.
Domaine de Primard
Domaine de Primard was built in the 18 century and the former home of French actress Catherine Deneuve. Set amidst rolling parkland with it’s own moat, it is an idyllic place to use as our home on the tour. I loved wondering the grounds capturing the Château in the early morning light.
Floral Design Class
All our design loving guests adore flowers and so a morning of floral creativity is always included on the tour. I loved sharing my approach to designing with seasonal flowers. The picturesque greenhouse with blue lime washed walls in the grounds of Domaine de Primard was a perfect setting for them to each create a confit pot arrangement to enjoy in their rooms for the duration of the tour.
Autumn is my favourite season to design in and you can read my tips for Autumn styling with flowers here
Montperthuis Garden
This garden created from pastoral farmland by landscape designer Philippe Dubreuil really was a beautiful jolt of inspiration for me. A series of garden rooms with structured planting combined with the romance of rambling roses and wisteria. The charm of the Normandy manor house and former farm buildings created a stunning backdrop and I loved the quiet hidden corners and unexpected vistas.
Le Jardin Plume
I absolutely adored the riot of colour very much in evidence in this contemporary garden filled with vibrant autumn perennials. Designed by Patrick and Sylvie Quibel, it struck a harmonious balance of structure and wilderness in perfect harmony. The apple harvest was well underway and with the sun low in the sky it was a photographers dream.
French Living
Every time I visit France I fall in love all over again. I always come back home re-energised and inspired by the shear beauty around every corner. Although, I was co-hosting the tour I never cease to be amazed by how a few days can bring a total group of strangers together who bond and depart as friends. Women supporting each other through tears and laughter. Mostly laughter! And a lot of gardens and shopping for antiques along the way! The women on this tour were some of the most inspiring humans I have ever met and I feel so privileged to have shared the week with them all.
You can read more about the tour over on the My French Country Home travel journal here and see other tours offered by Sharon Santoni for 2026.
And now with all that garden inspiration, I’m off to start getting creative with my own.
Janne x
