• Print

n°5 La Blanche Maison

Urville-Nacqueville

418 varieties of hydrangeas in a coastal environment

jardin_05_max01
n°5 L'Hydrangeum de Blanche Maison | Urville-Nacqueville n°5 L'Hydrangeum de Blanche Maison | Urville-Nacqueville n°5 L'Hydrangeum de Blanche Maison | Urville-Nacqueville n°5 L'Hydrangeum de Blanche Maison | Urville-Nacqueville jardin_05_max03

On the north side, above and behind the magnificent old stone house,  the Cotentin annexe of Corinne Mallet’s prestigious Shamrock Collection (at  Varengeville-sur-Mer (Seine-Maritime) proffers 463 hydrangeas (418 different varieties) flourishing on the side of a steep hill with a  wonderful view of the sea.

Below the house a sheltered site is home to a lush collection of choice plants notably Abutilons, Palms, Daturas and Acacias (mimosas) amongst a profusion of Echiums, and the imposing Geraniums from Madeira and the Canaries.  A small but remarkable medicinal herb garden contains even more rarities.

Simply put this is a stunning collection started by Isabelle and Michael Potel 20 years ago, meaning that there are plenty of mature specimens amongst the constant new arrivals.

Collections

  • 320 hydrangeas, macrophylla, serrata, involucrata, arborescens … and some rare non-hardy  specimens from Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan
  • Mimosas (Acacia): A. baileyana purpurea, A. longifolia, A hamburyana, A. retinodes …
  • Abutilons: Abutilon x hybridum, A. megapotamicum, A. milleri, A. pictum …
  • Numerous Hebe (veronicas): H. longacre, H. albicans, H. diosmifolia

Outstanding plants

  • Chile FireTree (Embotrium coccineum) with its crimson flowers
  • Bringelier (Solanum mauritianum) from the Réunion
  • Sichuan Pepper (Zanthoxyllum piperitum)
  • Red flowering Datura (Brugmansia sanguinea)
  • Rice Paper plant (Tetrapanax papyrifer) from Taiwan
  • Chilean Myrtle (Luma apiculata) with its white fragrant flowers in summer…

Surface

  • 2.5 acres

Contact Blanche Maison


Isabelle and Michaël Potel
874 rue Saint-Laurent
Blanche Maison, Urville-Nacqueville
tel. 02 33 03 48 79







Your inquiry or comment


Visit Blanche Maison

  • Open 14-15 July, 4-5 and 18-19 August, Saturdays from 14.00 to 18.30, Sundays from 10.30 to 18.30.
  • Unaccompanied or guided visits.
  • Guided Visit  at 14.00 and 16.00 on Saturdays and Sundays and at 10.30 on Sunday mornings.
  • Admission: 3 €.

 

Garden self-catering holiday flat  -  Bed-and-breakfast rooms:

Directions to Blanche Maison

  • Leaving Cherbourg towards Beaumont Hague, take the coastal route (D45) towards Urville Nacqueville. Just before the village itself, the drive to the house is on the left indicated, "Blanche Maison", 150 m from the Urville Nacqueville sign.
  • GPS: 49° 40’ 15 04’’ N 1°43’ 52 13’’ O
  • To get driving directions click on the marker below:
icon