The Gardener

Never thought I'd enjoy watching a film doc of a "Gardener" but I gave it a shot soley because I'm a huge fan of documentaries. Needless to say I truly loved every bit of it. The story told, the old photos, the interviews, but the sweet icing on the cake was the breathtakingly picturesque views. Just the sheer beauty of all the colorful landscape brought back memories of my sweet old grandma in her tiny yard. The only boy (I had 3 sisters and a baby bro) grandma's house was where I spent my summers. All she did was tend her gardens and go to church. Anyhow, it was the most beautiful place to be as a young boy playing with my little cars and trucks. I believe my grandma, bless her soul truly felt as proud as Mr Cabot appeared. God surely blessed him with a huge heart and a tremendous mind.

For those who think it was a waste of wealth and time I recommend you watch 'Planet of the Humans'.

Quiet, casual, and filled with little bits of wisdom throughout. This film covers a bit of the history and genesis of Frank Cabot's garden in Quebec. Wonderful visuals with descriptions of areas of the garden are throughout, leaving the viewer feeling some of the peace that the garden must provide in person.

Some of the stories that go with each area of the garden are great from Frank. He seems very down to earth and I get the impression that the garden was never for anyone else besides him.

The film then goes on to cover how the garden first opened to visitors and some of the environmental preservation work Frank has done. If you're looking for a film to wind down before bed, or to leave you with a desire to go out and spend time outside - whether wild or cultivated - this is a film for you.

As you might guess, they'll be no superheroes racing across your screen in this quiet and cerebral documentary. I can state that I know as little about gardening and horticulture as I do about nuclear physics, and that's not much. Yet I found this film offered me some peace and serenity away from this full speed ahead world we live in.

It centers on the wondrous gardens, named Les Quatre Vents. designed and maintained by Francis H. Cabot, its 20 acres located in La Malbaie, Quebec. The interviews with Cabot, an acclaimed horticulturalist, designer, and philanthropist were filmed in 2009 and he passed away in 2011 at the age of 86. It appears that the DVD version was released just last year, however, and I found my copy at the local library.

Cabot, who moved from Boston to La Malbaie with his wife Anne, in 1965. recounts how he slowly got into gardening in middle age after setbacks in the business world. He talks about how he wanted his gardens to offer a theatrical, sensual, and emotional experience to those that view them but also to offer fun and whimsy so that each individual can take out of their experience something special. They'll be surprises as well along the way which is exactly the way Cabot wanted it.

As time went on, Cabot and his family began to open up the gardens to public tours, mainly to help charities and conservation groups. His legacy continues on in preservation societies throughout the America and Canada.

Overall, obviously this doc is not for those viewers who are looking for an action flick. But for those who want to escape from the world for an hour and a half and enter a rather wondrous place, as well as get some idea of what goes into creating and preserving such a place, then you may find some real rewards here.

Sorry I am not an aficionado on the subject. We learned about this fabulous Canadian area and its famous hotel where the Donald made himself a fool. It's a dreamland to those of us who are bound to the American southwest for our work (including everyone at Hollywood).

This exceptional 2017 documentary film on Frank Cabot's Les Quatre Vents. The film is about an extraordinary giant garden park designed by Cabot, an American businessman who immigrated to the Nova Scotia area circa mid-20th century.

Here in Los Angeles we go to the Huntington Gardens. It is our hope to someday travel across country to the northeastern part of the North American continent, Montreal etc and also to visit Cabot's Gardens during that vacation trip. In the meantime, we have this film to remind us of this special place we wont want to miss.

I was so captured by this documentary and it's relaxing affect on me. Mr Cabots voice, so calm, takes us on a journey of his life's work as he delivers a world class garden to this corner of Quebec. The grounds are stunning and I look forward to seeing them in person one day soon I hope.