This article is a little different than most of mine, but we just got back from a trip to France and the gardens were so spectacular that I am going to describe a few in the hope that it will encourage others (especially you gardeners!) to plan a future vacation there.

The first garden we toured was one of the most famous--Monet's gardens at Giverny. The wonderful thing about France is that you can get anywhere on a train. They are fast, clean and very economical. We took the train north to Vernon where there are several buses to Giverny, only 3 and 1/2 miles away. I had been anticipating my first glimpse of his gardens but even so I wasn't prepared for their incredible beauty. It is an amazing riot of color with each path leading to another exquisite view. Ours was a fall tour of the grounds but you could see that each season has its particular wonders. The dahlias and sunflowers took center stage for our visit.

Unlike many of the formal French gardens, the gardens of Monet have a cottage garden naturalness, which almost makes you believe that you could go home and do some of the same things on a much smaller scale. The purpose for the gardens was subject matter for Monet's very famous impressionist paintings and you can see the thought that went into each plant's color and position in the garden. Each part of the gardens could be a painting in itself.

Monet's house is covered in ivy and surrounded by rose topiary and bright red geraniums. What an extraordinary sight as you walk up the trail through the famous rose bowers with bright orange and yellow nasturtiums spilling over onto the pathways. Inside it has been restored to just as it was when he was alive. The upstairs bedroom window is the best place to stand and view all the gardens.

The next French gardens we visited were at the Chateau de Villandry in the Loire Valley. These are formal French gardens at their very best. The gardens are immense and totally surrounded by short boxwood hedges that form intricate designs when viewed from above. Unbelievably, the most beautiful are the kitchen gardens that contain a variety of greens such as rhubarb chard, as well as many fruits and vegetables. There are also the "love gardens" where each section and flower tell a story. The evergreens are all pruned into spirals or other shapes which also adds to the symbolism.

Another chateau that should not be missed for its gardens is Chenonceau. There are two huge formal gardens on either side of the castle looking out over the water. They are both framed by fragrant santolina and are planted with roses, herbs, annuals, and very large topiary.

The Palace of Versailles is a short metro ride from the heart of Paris and a must see for all tourists. The grounds are endless and full of sculpture and golden water fountains. If you are looking for flower gardens, however; you must make the trek to the Grand Trianon which is on its distant outskirts. The nice thing is that many tourists never make it that far, so you can spend a much more leisurely time strolling around.

Our last day was spent at the Louvre museum which is reached by walking through the park bordered by the Tuileries gardens, a lovely combination of pastel annual and perennial blossoms. It is a very pleasant place to sit, relax, and "people watch." This is a popular meeting place, where many are playing chess or even sailing a toy boat on the pond.