The name of the rose…

2018 season. Following the departure of his successor James Priest, longstanding Head Gardener Gilbert Vahé, who oversaw the estate’s restauration, returned to work in the Fondation Monet gardens. In his quest to find Diane de Poitiers roses, he contacted Dominique Croix and Jacques Ranchon from Pépinières et Roseraies Paul Croix in Bourg-Argental (42) who specialise in that flower variety. He found what he was seeking but also discovered, in their floral paradise maze, a new rose variety created between 2008 and 2018. This “double flower, flesh-coloured, plump, fragrant rose” instantly caught Gilbert Vahé’s eye and the nursery offered to gift it to Fondation Monet. And why not then name it in honour of the person who oversaw the renaissance of this Giverny sanctuary between 1976 and 1980? And who proved to be passionate about horticulture and enamoured with gardens, with a flower always in his button hole? Charmed by this new fragrance as well as the exciting opportunity, Fondation Monet Director Hugues Gall worked to organise a welcome for this flower laden with symbolism.

An order was sent to the Bourguisane nursery for 150 specimens of this delicate rose. The flower, with its graceful petals, currently blooms in the Gérald and Florence Van der Kemp Square at the foot of Fondation Monet. “This flower is so romantic and generous. It beautifully fits with the Giverny estate,” reveals Mrs Croix happily. “It forms its own painting. They will enhance each other. And I like to think that Claude Monet would have fallen in love with it too!” Presented at the Bagatelle competition, this delicious rose is expected to be released on the market in autumn and will officially be named the Gérald Auffret Van der Kemp rose on Thursday 19 September in the presence of two excellent patrons: Countess Alix de la Rochefoucauld, granddaughter of Gérald Van der Kemp, and Mrs Catherine Pégard, President of the Château de Versailles. As Fondation Monet celebrates its 40th season opening, this is a wonderful way to take our hat off to the person to whom Giverny owes so much.

Jacques Ranchon et Dominique Croix