Today's Bouquet Travel Take-Always from Versailles Summer 2014:

Eye-Dazzling Elegance on a Grand Scale

One thing Louis the XIV knew how to do was go BIG.   The court of Versailles was the center of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.  The gardens of Versailles are celebrated for their timeless formal elegance on a grand scale.

Gardens and palace of Versailles in 1746, by the abbot Delagrive

Today Versailles is an icon for elegance, grandeur and opulence with interior and exterior rooms of the the palace brimming with eye-dazzling and awe inspiring ornate baroque elements that can still work today on any scale in your home or garden.

A few obvious take-aways from my visit:

1.  Florals are Fabulous

2. Spice it up with Citrus

2.   Magnetism of Garden Sculpture

3.  Power of Water Features

4.  Beautiful Boxwoods

5. Key Take-Away: Garden Maintenance is Everything
Timeless design through impeccable maintenance. In any garden no mater the scale or type--formal or organic--the garden must be properly maintained, or  it will loose its form over time.