A Visit to Andre´ Eve's Rose Garden in France

 
Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

It is always a bit thrilling to connect with readers in far away places. 

Recently, Annemarie Gendre-Peter who lives near the grand palace of Versailles in France emailed me pictures of the visit that she, and her little Corgi dog named Nancy, made one summer not to long ago, to the garden of renowned French rose breeder Andre´ Eve.

Nurseryman, landscape designer and rose expert extraordinaire; Andre´ Eve is less well known here in North America, and so I asked Annemarie if I might share her pictures of his garden.

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Andre´Eve lives in a modest terraced house in the town of Pithiviers, fifty miles southwest of Paris. A narrow passageway leads between the old stone houses to M. Eve's rose garden where he has amassed an remarkable collection of over 500 roses, many of them rare and historic cultivars.

The garden is not open to the public, and so for Annemarie, receiving an invitation to visit was a great honour. She wrote to me that:

 "Andre´ Eve is an interesting man. I think he is not keen on being famous (although he is). He is happy with his work and likes people who share his passion for gardening and roses. As an example, I found a very nice rose in his garden (Sheherazade) he had never sold. It is a just trial variety of rose, he said. I told him I would be delighted to plant this rose in my garden. Two years later, he sent me the rose through one of his colleagues I know. I was very touched."

Nancy whose full kennel name is 'Dragonjoy Empress in Black'. Nancy was born in Bologna, Italy out of true Welsh Corgis. Annemarie also has a second Corgi named Shu-Shu.

This is Nancy. Annemarie also wrote to me that:

"Both Andre´ Eve and his wife love dogs and cats. They are both older now and it is not possible for them to keep a dog of their own, but Mme. Eve brought water for Nancy and both enjoyed her very much."

And now, here are AnneMarie's own pictures of Andre´ Eve's rose garden:

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

A little clay figure sits in a shaded alcove in the garden's stone walls.

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Photograph by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

  Now in his eighties, Andre´ Eve still cares for the garden himself. 

Here's wishing to be over eighty and still gardening so happily!

Nancy photographed by Annemarie Gendre-Peter

Many thanks to Annemarie for allowing me to share her pictures of Andre´ Eve's garden.

More Information and Links:

Read a magazine article (PDF format) on the garden of Andre´ Eve. The picture to the left is from the magazine article.

See roses at the Andre´ Eve Nursery.

Read an article from Fairfield Country Living.

Watch a video in French.