This is my favourite vignette of the beautifully clipped shrubs in the shade of trees in the famed and revered garden "La Louve" (the she wolf) in Bonnieux in Provence that was owned and designed by Hermes textile designer Nicole de Vesian. Apart from its obvious beauty and the satisfying balance of three dimensional forms this particular view is rich with symbolism. The fig tree has immense symbolism for man and his relationship with his creator. The fig tree features throughout the bible not only in the Garden of Eden but also in various parables and represents the Israeli nation. It is a shady tree that fruits twice and is a nourishing staple food in the Mediterranean as it can be eaten fresh and keeps well when dried. It's fruit is a symbol of the fruits of the spirit. The name of the garden La Louve, the she wolf, also has symbolic meaning, as a nurturing figure linked to myth of the Romulus and Remus and many other parables. Nicole de Vesian's symbolic references in this intimate garden are subtle but significant and offer an important dimension that adds immensely to ones appreciation of her iconic garden