1, 2, 3 outstanding gardens !
The " outstanding garden " mark attribution is connected with a procedure instaured in each region of France. This procedure includes a file achieved by the owners given to a 10 persons workgroup held under the auspices of the DRAC (Regional Direction of the Cultural Business). Once the file has been consulted, this workgroup goes on site to judge the interest of this garden and of its maintenance.
The " outstanding garden " mark attribution criteria focus on the composition, the integration of the garden in the site, the outstanding elements we can see, the historical and botanic interest, the engaged pedagogic actions as well as the organised animations in the garden, the maintenance management and the environment respect.
This mark engages also the owners to open their gardens at least 50 days per year including 30 days between april and september including also 5 Sundays. They also have the duty to participate to the national operations organised by the Culture Ministery in favor of the gardens and of the heritage.
The outstanding gardens offer then high quality, as much as to the welcoming level of the public than to the cultural, attractive and botanic interest of the places. Lot of them add an historical dimension when they enclose a castle, a National Heritage site or when they have been designed by a landscaper whose work crossed successfully the time !
