维朗德里城堡，卢瓦尔河谷，法国 Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France (© Mint Images/Getty Images)

几何之美绽放于此 Geometry in bloom

维朗德里城堡花园，卢瓦尔河谷，法国

这边的草地确实更绿，尤其是当那一边是维朗德里城堡时。虽然法国卢瓦尔河谷遍布令人惊叹的城堡，但维朗德里城堡却与众不同，它并非以高耸的塔楼或中世纪的雄伟气势取胜，而是以花园闻名。这座城堡建于 16 世纪，由弗朗索瓦一世国王的财政大臣让·勒·布雷顿所建，目的就是为了令人印象深刻。与为战争而建的防御性城堡不同，维朗德里城堡的设计注重舒适，拥有大窗户和开阔、宜人的布局。城堡的花园分布在不同的梯田上。每个梯田有独特的主题。装饰性花园展示了如图所示的几何图案。水景花园则提供宁静的休憩之所，而蔬菜园则将日常作物打造成艺术展示。

在历经一段艰难时期后，破败不堪的维朗德里城堡于 1906 年被西班牙医生若阿基姆·卡瓦略及其妻子、美国钢铁帝国的女继承人安·科尔曼购得。他们对历史和园艺的热爱促成了城堡的全面修复，如今他们的后代仍在维护这座庄园。这些花园随季节更替而变化，确保每次造访都有不同的体验。无论是否擅长园艺，都很难不为其中的精巧布局所折服。

Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France

The grass truly is greener on the other side—especially when that side is Château de Villandry. While the Loire Valley in France is packed with stunning châteaux (French for castles), Villandry stands apart, not for its towering turrets or medieval might, but for its gardens. Built in the 16th century by Jean le Breton, a minister to King Francis I, Villandry was always meant to impress. Unlike fortified castles built for war, it was designed for comfort, featuring large windows and an open, welcoming layout. Its gardens are arranged across terraces with distinct themes. The ornamental garden showcases geometric patterns like the one pictured here. The water garden offers a serene retreat, and the vegetable garden turns everyday crops into artistic displays.

After a challenging period, the dilapidated Château de Villandry was purchased in 1906 by Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo and his wife, Ann Coleman, an heiress to an American steel empire. Their passion for history and horticulture led to a full restoration, and their descendants continue to maintain the estate today. These gardens change with the seasons, ensuring that no two visits are exactly alike. Whether you have a green thumb or not, it's hard not to admire the precision at play.

标签: 法国, 城堡, 花园