My Adventures in Virtual Gardening

Queen's House Ornamental Kitchen Garden in Second Life

It seems that I've been captivated by the Potager or Ornamental Kitchen Garden for a very long time now.  Though I come from a long line of gardeners, I was first introduction to the magical structure of the potager through the BBC television series The Ornamental Kitchen Garden hosted by Geoff Hamilton.  The mix of fruits, vegetables, flowers & herbs arranged in symmetrical garden beds stuck me as such a practical & exceptional work of art that I've been in love with ever since.

For a while I was content using potager techniques in my own backyard until one fateful day back in January 2008 when I goggled "Versailles Kitchen" and found Louis XIV's "King's Kitchen Garden" aka the "Potager du Roi".  As with so many things associated with Versailles it was mind blowing!

The Potager or Ornamental Kitchen Garden

A Potager at Château de Villandry, France

Designed to feed both body and soul, the potager or ornamental kitchen garden is the ultimate combination of parterre and vegetable patch.

Fruits & vegetables, flowers & herbs, are artfully arranged in symmetrical garden beds that are surrounded by low clipped box hedges.  These individual plots, separated by sand or gravel paths,  are precisely placed to form striking geometric patterns.

Versailles: Transported

Hall of Mirrors' Ceiling

Just as my glow from Chanel's "Versailles" Collection (see Chanel in Versailles: Seriously Frivolous ) was fading, along came some equally delightful Versailles related news!

The SNCF, France's national state-owned railway company, has just unveiled the first of their commuter trains decorated with iconic scenes from the Château de Versailles including; the Hall of Mirrors, Louis XVI's Library, Marie Antoinette's Chamber in the Petit Trianon and the Belvedere from her English Garden.

Hall of Mirrors

Graffiti-resistant, laminated panels were used to transfer the images which are slated for a number of trains on the The RER C line traveling between Paris and Versailles.  This means that tourists get a preview of Versailles before they even arrive while locals can enjoy these works of art on their daily commutes.

Louis XVI's Library

Louis XVI's Library

I was tickled to see Louis XVI's Library which was my inspiration for The Queen's Library SL.  You will notice that the books are the same.

Cotelle Gallery Ceiling

These cherubs have also make a frequent appearance on my SL ceilings including that of The Queen's House. 

The Belvedere

Installing The Belvedere

And then there are details from the Belvedere, that beautiful octagonal structure celebrating the seasons that was created by Richard Mique for Marie Anotinette's English Garden in the Petit Trianon.  And last, but certainly not least ...

Marie Antoinette's Chamber - Petit Trianon

From the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's Chamber.  Yes, for me it's just about as close to heaven as a commuter train can possibly get.  I imagine myself riding these trains over & over again so that I can thoroughly enjoy all six of their decorated cars.  Fortunately, these fabulous interiors will remain in place for the next two years so I might just get that chance!

Photos: Christophe Recoura

Ange-Jacques Gabriel: Louis XV's Premier Architect

Ange-Jacques Gabriel by Jean-Baptiste Greuze

Ange-Jacques Gabriel (October 23, 1698 – January 4, 1782) was born into a family of great architects, succeeding his father, Jacques Gabriel, as the premier architect of France in 1742. 

During his tenure he oversaw the transition from the ornate Rococo period to the order & simplicity of Neoclassicism driven by the belief that progress depends upon reason and discipline.

His love of symmetry and classical proportion is reflected in many of his creations from the minute French Pavilion (completed 1750) to the enormous Château de Versailles (including extensive palace renovations starting in 1735 & the addition of the Royal Opera 1769-1770).

For me, one of the many delights of re-creating his buildings are discovering the false doors which have been placed "just so" to maintain the symmetrical appearance of a room.  Equally fascinating are the "secret" doors that are blended into the walls for the same reason. I stumbled upon this technique for the first time while constructing  The Billard Room of the Petit Trianon.

The Château de Compiègne seen from the garden (Wikipedia)

His major works included the Château de Compiègne (1750+) and a number of hôtels particuliers in the Place de la Concorde.

The Petit Trianon (1762-1768) is perhaps his most celebrated achievement.

Petit Trianon: The French Pavilion SL

The French Pavilion - My SL Virtual Rendition

As recounted in my post regarding the real life (RL) version, (Petit Trianon: The French Pavilion RL) the French Pavilion (le pavillon français) was designed by the Louis XV’s chief architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel at the instigation of Madame Pompadour. This miniature palace was intended as a summer gaming room with an attached salon frais or summer dining room. Thirty years later, Marie Antoinette would also use it for private concerts given by lantern light.

My virtual re-creation of the French Pavilion for Second Life ® was a true labour of love. It took me almost three months to painstakingly create the textures and to piece together all of those 45 degree angled walls!

Petit Trianon: The French Pavilion RL

The French Pavilion 2009.  Photo by Stefan of ArchitectDesign™

The French Pavilion (le pavillon français) which now stands as the central gem of the Petit Trianon’s formal French Gardens was actually completed in 1750, a few years prior to the building of the Petit Trianon itself.

The French Pavilion 2009. Photo by Stefan of ArchitectDesign™

Designed by the Louis XV’s chief architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel at the instigation of Madame Pompadour this miniature palace was intended as a summer gaming/dining room. Thirty years later, Marie Antoinette would also use it for private concerts given by lantern light.

The main salon is octagonal with an inlaid marble floor and is surrounded by four cabinets in a cruciform arrangement. The walls are gilded with cherubs highlighting each entrance. Cherubs & birds are also featured on the circular cornice which is supported by eight Corinthian columns. Four arched French doors provide light, exterior views and access

French Pavilion Floor Plan from Views and Plans of the Petit Trianon at Versailles

 The cabinets are each unique according to their purpose. Three of the cabinets (boudoir, café & wash closet and antichamber) can be entered from the main salon. The fourth cabinet, originally the kitchen and therefore the domain of the staff, is partitioned off from main salon. Each cabinet contains two exterior French doors as well as a set of casement windows.

I had an absolutely wonderful time studying and then re-creating this magical pavilion in Second Life® as you can see in Petit Trianon: The French Pavilion SL.

I was inspired and aided by Stefan's The French Pavilion as well as  Views and Plans of the Petit Trianon Versailles and Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles.

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Petit Trianon: The French Pavilion RL by Tatiana Dokuchic on 2011-10-02
Designed by the Louis XV’s chief architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel at the instigation of Madame Pompadour this miniature palace was intended as a summer gaming/dining room.

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The Queen's Library SL

Marie Antoinette's Salon Doré inspired me to create the Queen's Library Collection in SecondLife.
There are 3 bookcases (1 large, 2 small) panelled with details from Marie Antoinette's lovely Salon Doré in Versailles. These bookcases (1 prim each) line up seamlessly and are also a lot of fun to modify and arrange making many different combinations in a room.



No library would be complete without a place to write your correspondence. The Queen's Library-Writing Desk (8 prims) features a small animated drawer while the Queen's Library Desk Chair (8 prims) contains 1 writing and 2 relaxing poses. There is also a Quill & Ink stand that dispenses a quill to "wear" while you are writing.



The set is rounded out by the Queen's Library Stool (6 prims) covered in the same Madame DuBarry's pink rose fabric as the writing chair. There are 3 poses in this stool as well.

You can find these pieces at my main store or on the SL Marketplace: Large Bookcase, Small Bookcase Right, Small Bookcase Left, Writing Desk, Desk Chair, Stool

Versailles: Marie Antoinette's Private Apartments

Marie Antoinette's Salon Doré one of the four main rooms of her "Petits Appartements" in Versailles.

These small rooms with their concealed doors escaped the surveillance of spies and favoured love affairs and intrigues. To step through the looking-glass, just as Marie Antoinette used to do, is an extraordinary experience. The four main rooms, the Méridienne, the two libraries, the Salon Doré, their boudoirs and their bathrooms provide a perfect image of eighteenth-century France as we imagine it today.

from Private Realm of Marie-Antoinette by Marie-France Boyer & François Halard

Is it any wonder that I have always taken such inspiration from this wonderful suite of rooms designed and created by the finest craftsmen!

Richard Mique the premier architecte to Louis XVI and a favourite of the queen's was given the task of transforming these rooms for her use while the Rousseau brothers, Jules Antoine and Jean Siméon, did the decorative work on the panelling.

The Salon Doré was both the most grand and the most public room in the suite; Neoclassic in style with "Pompeian" motifs and playful cherubs.

The Méridienne, its daybed tucked into a mirrored alcove, was a place for rest and relaxation. Given to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI in 1782 to celebrate the birth of the Dauphin, this lovely retreat followed the delicate Rococo style.

The green library, with its high ceiling was quite simple in comparison.

In this photo you can see the wonderful "tompe l'oeil" books on the door of the blue library. I'm always amused by the fact that Marie Antoinette also used "faux books" on the shelves to make her libraries more beautiful.



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Versailles: Marie Antoinette's Private Apartments by Tatiana Dokuchic on 2009-08-07
These small rooms with their concealed doors escaped the surveillance of spies and favoured love affairs and intrigues.

Find Tatiana Dokuchic on Google+

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