Did You Know Monet’s Garden Has Two Sections? A Look at Giverny’s Botanical Masterpiece

If you’re visiting France and planning a tour of Monet’s garden, you may be surprised to learn that the lush paradise Claude Monet cultivated in Giverny is actually made up of two distinct sections: the Clos Normand (a vibrant flower garden) and the Japanese garden (a tranquil water garden). Together, they shaped both his home environment and some of his most iconic artworks.

Monet first moved to Giverny, France in 1883, renting a house with a simple orchard. He soon purchased the property and began transforming the land into what is now recognized as Monet’s Garden at Giverny. The Clos Normand, located in front of the house, is an explosion of color and texture, featuring symmetrical rows of flowers, trellises, and climbing roses. Monet organized it with a painter’s eye, planting in masses and layering heights to create dynamic color fields, much like he did on canvas (Fondation Claude Monet).

Years later, Monet acquired adjacent land across the road, which he transformed into the Japanese garden. Influenced by Japanese prints he collected, this section features bamboo, willow trees, and, most famously, the Japanese bridge draped in wisteria. The pond he built here became the focus of many late masterpieces, including the Water Lilies series.

Over the years, Monet created dozens of works inspired directly by his garden. Some of the most beloved garden paintings include:

Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge (1899)
The Artist’s Garden at Giverny (1900)
Path through the Irises (1914–17)
The Water Lily Pond (1899)
Morning on the Seine near Giverny (1897)

Each painting reflects the seasons, light, and atmosphere of Monet’s garden in Giverny, revealing how intimately his art was tied to his surroundings.

Today, visitors from all over the world take Monet’s garden tour to see the very scenes that inspired these masterpieces. Walking through the flower-lined pathways of the Clos Normand and over the arched Japanese bridge, it’s easy to understand why Monet’s garden in France is one of the most celebrated artistic landscapes in history.

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