Calendar of Events

The Library is pleased to introduce a new four-part series on gardens, with two events in the Fall and two events in the Spring.

This month, Valentine de Ganay presents Courances: A Work in Progress. Then in November, Charles Quest-Ritson will present Ninfa: The Most Romantic Garden in the World. Join us for a virtual walk through the gardens.

About Courances and Valentine Hansen de Ganay:

Hailed by many as the epitome of the French formal garden, the grounds at the Chateau de Courances (in Essonnes, France) were recreated in the early 20th century using 17th-century techniques and concepts. Ponds of fresh water, a grand axial perspective centered on the château, with its basins and a grand canal, and a Japanese stroll garden characterize the landscape, which has been called one of the loveliest gardens in France.

Valentine Hansen de Ganay was born in 1962. Her main passion is writing, her most recent publication was Courances (Flammarion, 2003), a book that reinvented what one would expect of a publication on a park and chateau. She is marrried to a German artist, has three daughters, and, to keep her balance, practices the flying trapeze and boxing.