220px-Ecu_Andre_Le_Notre.svg.png
Armoiries I hear you say. OK, coat of arms.
Manteaux de bras?
No, armoiries - read closely, there is 'arms' in armoiries :)
OK, what can you see on the coat of arms?
Snails?
No, , they don't have houses on their backs, they are slugs(limaçons)! Beurk! Yuk! But look at their eyes, they're wide awake(bien révéillé), looking around, not sliding(glissant) along under the grass!
It's not a joke, this is real, this is somebody's coat of arms.
Whose?
You'll never guess in a thousand years.
They belong to Lenôtre - no, not the chocolate man. That was GASTON Lenôtre. This is André.
You remember, LouisXIV favourite gardener between 1645 and 1700, the one who created the gardens of Versailles and the famous 'jardins à la française'.
Mind you, he had no real merit, his father Jean was already(déjà) the king's gardener in the Tuileries gardens and his mother the daughter of a gardener; his godfather(parrain) was chief administrator of the king's gardens under Henry IV and Louis X11; his godmother(marraine) was the wife of a king's gardener!! In the family, so to speak (pour ainsi dire)!!
So, why did he have slugs on his coat of arms?
He was ennobled by Louis XIV in 1675 and when Louis ordered him to choose his coat of arms, he joked about it and said he had already 3 slugs crowned by a cabbage(un chou). The king had a coat of arms made: a sand coloured background(fond) engraved with a gold chevron shape and three silver(argent) slugs!
(A chevron symbolizes protection; for builders or others who have accomplished some work of faithful (bons et loyaux) service. A slug is a symbol of foresight (prévoyance). READ ABOUT HIM IN FRENCH)
So, why am I writing about him today?
Because I discovered 2013 in Lenôtre year and all sorts of celebrations will be taking place(auront lieu). He was born on March 12th 1613, 400 years ago and his gardens are still admired today. What an achievement! (quelle prouesse)!
So, everybody, get out(sortez) into your gardens, onto your balconies, it's celebration year for French gardens, let's see what you can do.