A Gardener of Versailles follows the life of Baraton, the gardener on Versailles grounds. His main role in the garden is to oversee the eighty gardeners and their roles. He has been the head gardener since 1982. Baraton has devoted his life to the orchards, gardens, and fields. The king and queen of France highly valued these sectors and it was his pride and joy to tend to them.
His character in the film shows the importance of gardeners connecting with the earth. Baraton lives his own life as a gardener within the Versailles grounds. The gardens he nurtured were used to host luxurious lawn parties. Louis XIV hosted these parties. It is in these gardens that Marie Antoinette and Cardinal de Rohan met. These are iconic gardens and it is beautiful seeing the care that the gardeners put into them.
Throughout the film, you can tell how passionate Alain Baraton is about gardening. He states that gardening was not his purpose in life. However, it became his life because of living within the Versailles grounds.
In the Gardener of Versailles documentary, we can see that Baraton's current life has his focus on other things, which makes him spend less time gardening. He spends most of his days as a CEO and not a gardener. Baraton has ventured into a new business but still retains his love for gardening.
His current schedules are orchestrating plantings, preparing garden designs, managing budgets, and managing staff. Since Baraton's life revolves around the garden, he has a routine. He starts his day by taking a walk in the garden. During this time, he chats with the gardeners and returns to the office to work on the paperwork.
He spends his afternoons checking ongoing projects and planning the garden layouts. In the evenings, he takes more walks around the gardens. These daily routines help him in promoting productivity in his gardens.
It is a quiet and peaceful life that he enjoys. It is moving to see how something some of us might not pay any attention to can be the center of another person’s world. The film lets us appreciate the beauty of gardening and all that comes with it.
What subjects or college majors would benefit from the content covered in this film?
A Gardener of Versailles is a good fit for history majors. In the film, we learn about Versailles being the lasting symbol of the 17th century in the French Monarchy. The Versailles gardens were commissioned by Louis XIV, the last monarch in France.
Can this film be used in a library education program?
When used in the proper context, A Gardener of Versailles can be used in gardening library education programs. Students stand a chance to benefit from Baraton's gardening skills. Horticulture and landscaping students can imitate Baraton in so many ways. This could contribute to their success in their careers.
What public library shelves would this title be on?
You're most likely to find A Gardener of Versailles in the nature documentary section of your public library shelves. The film is used to tell more about Baraton's life in gardening. It would be an excellent selection for viewers interested in subjects like botany history, landscape architecture, travel, horticulture, animal husbandry, natural history, forestry, France, and culture.