Angers is known as the green city and I was keen to explore some of the city’s green spaces on our visit, and our plan for our first day there was to explore the botanical gardens right in the heart of the city.
It’s website promised ‘a true oasis of greenery’ and it didn’t disappoint. Though when we entered we were quite bemused with how the tree had been secured, though it seemed to be doing the job - as that’s not a tree that you want to come down is it?
The garden dates back to 1905 and there was more to it than first met our eyes.
We meandered around the paths admiring the trees, and the planting and found ourselves crisscrossing the paths around the lake.
Each of them brought different vistas, that were the same but yet different. Moving away from the lake we stumbled across this arch to seemingly nowhere.
Soon after we found ourselves in a part of the garden which felt less like the English garden that we’d left, with its grasses, rock stacks and more tropical planting.
We welcomed the coolness of the shade, and admired the textures of the varied leaves.
Continuing to let our feet lead us amongst the paths until we were at another arch, this time of a jasmine in full flower - and full scent.
Before finding ourselves back amongst the cool shaded section again - we might have purposefully lingered here for a while.
Deciding to find a place for refreshments, a coffee at least, we ambled back along the pathways to where we’d come in.
But not without stopping to admire the acanthus - and adding it to my plant wish list.
And before long we had the grandiose gates in sight, where once again we paused before heading back into the city’s hubbub.