Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Alberta Garden, created around 1640 in Bouc-Bel-Air in the Bouches-du-Rhône, is an emblematic example of a 17th-century French garden. Henri de Séguiran, seigneur of Bouc and first President of the Court of Accounts of Provence, launched its first achievements in the 1630s. He imagines a large garden with basins and fountains, inspired by Italian Renaissance models, while adapting plants to the Provençal climate. This ambitious project includes earthworks, water galleries and underground tanks to supply water jets and fountains.

Today the garden preserves almost intact its original composition, with remarkable elements such as the large canal and its thirteen mascarons, the Italian cave, or the monumental statues representing Hercules, David, Mars and the gladiator Borghèse. In the 18th century, the family of Albertas, heiress of the Séguiran, enlarged the garden westward and added a baroque gate and a low garden around the present bastide. These developments reflect the continuing influence of 17th century techniques and taste, while integrating new elements such as the Louis XV portal, created in 1735 during the diversion of the royal road.

Ranked a historic monument in 1993 and labeled "Remarkable Garden" since 2007, the Alberta Garden has benefited from several restoration campaigns since the 1980s. This work, supported by public institutions and private patrons, has given life to key elements such as the large octagonal basin, statues, and the hydraulic system. In 2019, the garden was selected by the Mission Bern to benefit from the Heritage Lotto, which launched a new restoration phase, including the freshness cave and quadrilobed basins.

The garden is also a vibrant cultural place, hosting every year since 1992 the Alberta Plant Days, a major event around plants and crafts. This event, which attracts more than 180 pioneers and artisans, bears witness to the contemporary attachment to this historical heritage. The family archives, keeping the original plans of the seventeenth century, played a crucial role in the restorations, allowing to faithfully respect the original design of the garden.

The history of the garden is closely linked to the history of the Séguiran and Alberta families, which marked Provence with their political, economic and cultural commitment. Henri-Reynaud and Jean-Baptiste d'Albertas, among others, contributed to the expansion and beautification of the estate in the 18th century. Their legacy continues today thanks to the commitment of the descendants, who continue to maintain and open the garden to the public, in collaboration with institutional and private partners.

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