The Terraced Gardens of Grasse – La Mouissone

If you want to see what can be achieved in a relatively short space of time (in gardening terms), given three hectares of land including old olive groves on Mediterranean-facing slopes, a good knowledge of plants, plenty of resources and, above all, determination and enthusiasm, you need to visit La Mouissone. The newest of the grand terraced gardens of Grasse open to the public, this is also the most modern and experimental.

The gardens at La Mouissone have been conceived and created by owner Lady Lockett (Maggie) since 1998 when she and her husband bought the property. As with many gardens, the design is evolving, as new ideas, plant finds, experiments and adjustments are taken into account. The ‘genius loci’ – the soul of the garden - lies in the 250 ancient olive trees and the restanques (retaining walls) which form the terraces on which the trees were planted. The revered olives continue to be harvested, as they have been for hundreds of years. But the difference now is that the trees share their terraces with extensive gardens.

A tremendous amount of money and hard work has been invested in creating a series of garden areas to be enjoyed by visitors to the main house and to the guest villa on the property. Some of these conform beautifully to the imposed structure of the walls, some burst away, climbing towards the cliff faces behind the house, or tumbling down to claim the informal ‘wild’ slopes below. Paths, slopes and steps allow you to wander and discover the gardens from different directions. You may find yourself one moment in a sheltered ‘outdoor room,’ the next on a rocky outcrop with a panorama stretching down to the Mediterranean; then you might turn and step up into a country meadow or into one of the well-tended vegetable gardens which supply the house.

The owner’s ideas for La Mouissone have been inspired by such gardens in the region as Serre de la Madone, Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola, and the Jardins Noailles (Grasse and Hyeres). Cyril Valhérie, the head gardener, provides the expertise in forestry, irrigation, and the machinery necessary to run such a large property, but Maggie herself is the plantswoman, whose passion is to expand the range of plants used in the garden. She has taken many plant study and horticultural courses as well as plant study trips to the South African Cape region, and uses her membership of the Mediterranean Garden Society for information on the growing conditions necessary for plants in Grasse.

In terms of design, La Mouissone is very much an eclectic garden. Each area has a different character: from the English mixed borders and green lawns close to the house, to the North American style prairie garden; from the French ‘boules parc’ and the Italian terrace, to the ambitious ‘Machu Picchu’ still in progress.

The first area developed beyond the olive groves was the Bamboo Garden, designed, as Maggie likes to put it, to prove to her husband that the money spent on plant courses hadn’t been wasted. The result is a charming shady walk through tall flexible stems of Phyllostachys viridis glaucescens edged neatly with varieties of aspidistra and Ophiopogon nigrescens (black mondo grass). To prolong the enjoyment of the shade and rustling leaves, a seating area furnished with bamboo armchair and table has been provided.

More recently, in an effort to reduce the amount of strimming required on the lower slopes, the ‘Prairie Garden’ has been developed using a mix of grasses and cultivated relatives of local wild plants. Here are found varieties of Miscanthus, Calamagrostis, and Pennesetum grasses mixed with Euphorbias, Phormiums, red-hot pokers, Russian sage and many more. The result is less ‘prairie’ than mixed perennial borders, but provides the visitor with a lesson in planting adapted to the environment which saves both water and time spent on maintenance.

Thanks to Lady Lockett’s passion for expanding the planting palette, you are never far away from innovative compositions of beautiful and unusual plants. She treats the garden as an extension of the house, as a place for entertaining and relaxing, which means she has furnished and decorated it with the same sure eye combined with a touch of humour. The seats and statuary fit their location perfectly, and crafted metalwork details complement the extensive stonework.

One of the most refreshing aspects of La Mouissone is that, while inspired by the great 20th century Riviera gardens, there is no faded glory here. It is a garden still bright and burgeoning, whose best years lie ahead. No expense has been spared to give the visitor a wonderful experience. If you’re lucky enough to get a personal guided tour, you will be informed, amused and made to feel very welcome. If you can stretch to a lunch, cooked by the superbly organised team headed by Lady Lockett herself, you are in for a treat indeed.