21. Barochories

Antoine de Lavalette is pragmatic and above all an idealist, an eternal enthusiast who knows how to bring anyone who crosses his path on board, to give life to projects scattered with adventure and the unexpected, with which he loves to play. Spending his early years between France and Thailand, Antoine understands that the relationship between humans and nature must be constantly questioned in the gardening profession, and that his culture shapes his vision. Although he initially studied law and Asian languages, he then turned to the world that has always spoken to him: the garden. He completed his studies at the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage in Versailles and then joined landscape architect Camille Muller, who attended his project defence. He appreciated the student’s approach and discretely asked, “Antoine, would you like to come and work with me?”. This somewhat miraculous opportunity changed a lot of things, even to this day... After a few years working with Camille Muller, Antoine moved south to join his uncle and father, also landscapers, and prepared to take over Nature & Création with his cousin Florence. For a number of years, he has set aside his design work to supervise the progress of his teams' garden projects, always taking part in the planting phases, and when certain atypical projects come up, he picks up his pencil again.

Marie Couronne loves the simple, wild landscapes where she grew up, in the heart of the Limousin countryside. She enjoys walking around, looking at them and drawing them. While she does not defend ideas or theories about the gardens she imagines for tomorrow, she does believe in something much greater that should resonate with all of us: the need for everyone to have their own little corner of paradise, their own piece of land teeming with the life of all those who live there, which allows us to escape just by observing it and enjoy every small pleasure and moment of happiness. She kept her curiosity as her training developed over the years and through different places, leading her to École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage in Versailles, where she earned her diploma. She went on to expand her experience around plants, landscaping and training, while retaining the freedom she cherishes. For Marie, each place seems to carry within it the strength to reinvent itself: it is up to us to help it choose, and before doing anything, we have to let things happen themselves.