A short few years back, the people of Terrasson put their heads together and came up with the idea…read moreof a Garden area of Imagination as an attraction for their small town. Visited it today and, despite a touch of hype in the brochures and also from the guide, it was a very enjoyable hour and a quarter. Water is perhaps the main feature of the garden and all the water is recycled right down to the fountain at the entrance. There are moss terraces and a rose garden and other distinct areas. All are well laid out and there is also a belvedere where there is a brilliant view of the area of the town below dominated by the church. Dry stone walls feature in the gardens and also in a living breathing structure at the end of the walk, a structure that contains an exhibition of the Japanese art of Niwaki, not to be confused with Bonsai. The trees are allowed to grow bigger and into more natural shapes. We followed the tour with a walk around the town and enjoyed its many water features and vistas, particularly those around and about the 12th century bridge which spans the Vezere here.

These botanical gardens are situated behind the Cathedral and next to the Episcopal Museum, and…read morealso contain the new home of the Resistance Museum as well as a gallery displaying the work of graduating students studying traditional construction techniques at the nearby school. The gardens afford a good views over the river from the old ramparts, as well as being a good place to wander and unwind. The five acres of gardens are laid out over several levels within the old city walls, rising up from the river below towards the cathedral. Partly dating from the 18th century, they were created in their present form in 1961, and contain a mixture of formal gardens, laid out by function (eg food and medicine) as well as climate, and contain a small but very pleasant water garden. Practicalities Explanatory leaflets (French only) are available by the entrance next to the Resistance Museum. Open daily, and entry is free. Some of the gardens have level access (via the road behind the cathedral) and are accessible to those in wheelchairs or not able to climb steps. But the upper areas are off-limits as they involve several flights of steps, especially at the moment, as the adjacent Episcopal Museum is undergoing major works, planned to last throughout 2010, which cut off the level access from the square in front of the cathedral.