Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Jardin du Clos du Peyronnet, located in Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes, is a landscaped area of about 5,000 m2, structured by limestone terraces, stairs, a monumental ramp, and various aisles. It incorporates hydraulic elements (basins, water mirrors), pergolas, an artificial rock with cave, as well as rich exotic and subtropical vegetation. The furniture, made up of ceramic pots, vases and sculptures, and fittings such as the gazebos or the nursery, make it a remarkable horticultural and architectural ensemble, inspired by the designs of landscape designer Harold Ainsworth Peto.

The garden originated in 1913, when the English couple Barbara and Derrick Waterfield acquired Garavan's property around a villa built in 1896. They begin to build the ground, adding a first version of the large pergola. Their son, Humphrey Waterfield, an artist and landscaper trained at Oxford, took over the site in 1946 after the destruction of World War II. It completely redefines the plan, the perspectives, and plants rare botanical specimens, giving the garden its current physiognomy.

In the 1950s, Humphrey Waterfield inspired Peto's work to remodel the garden, creating terrace walls, stairs, fountains, and monumental arches. From 1976 his nephew William Waterfield enriched the plant palette and furniture, while maintaining the original spirit. Some of the decorative elements come from other notable gardens in the region, such as the Serre de la Madonna Garden in Menton or Villa Torre Clementina in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Ranked a Historical Monument in 2017, the Clos du Peyronnet is now considered one of the most accomplished landscape creations of the second half of the 20th century on the French Riviera.

External links