La Chasse-Gardée du Marais: A storybook garden in Chelsea, Quebec

Story and photos by Dorothy Dobbie

This story was published in Volume 4, Issue 4

It is a smoky early June day, perhaps a little soon for a garden story, but the opportunity to visit La Chasse-Gardée du Marais, the dreamlike storybook garden in Chelsea, Quebec created by Adrien Clavet and Réjean Lyrette, is too good to miss. The taxi driver is amenable, not just to the long drive but to waiting while the garden is explored. This is a storied garden, say all who know of it.

Farther and farther into the woods we go, getting closer to the outer fringes of Gatineau Park. It feels like the end of the road, yet there it is: a fairy tale house snuggled up against a rock cliff on one side and a pool of water on the other.

A knock on the door is answered by a tall, thin man who looks like Prince Charming in his light-coloured, high-collared shirt that matches his curly, greying hair. The house inside is a replica French château, very baroque and elegant, with everything chosen for its aesthetic appeal. Light pours in from three sides of the large sitting-dining room. There are candelabras everywhere and ornate light sconces. The furniture is deeply comfortable and carefully chosen to project style and sophistication. This home is the centrepiece of the garden.

The tour begins with the sunroom, illuminated by light shining through stained glass hangings. “I started doing these,” says Adrien Clavet, one half of the team that created this magical retreat. The other half, Réjean Lyrette, is not yet home, but will arrive soon. Adrien points to the stained glass and adds, “Then my sister took it up and she elevated it to art.” The hangings colour the light entering the room.

Adrien is from Saint-Basile, New Brunswick, now part of the small city of Edmundston, a French-speaking community bordering Quebec. He has three sisters, including his twin. One shares his passion for gardening, though her style differs greatly. Adrien moved to Ottawa as a young man and worked in government for many years. Early in his career, he saw a photograph of Réjean in a friend’s photo album and fell in love with the picture. Being told, “This guy is not your type,” did not deter him. They met soon after and have been a couple ever since. It’s been 43 years.

Together, they built a home and garden in the village of Chelsea, north of Ottawa, where it blends into the natural beauty of Gatineau Park. Although their first garden was completed, they sought a new challenge: a place where they could create something even more in tune with nature. They found it in an 11-acre property that dead-ended at the park.

The dream began with the landscape. Adrien and Réjean shaped the land even before building the house, tucking it between a rock cliff and a dammed-up creek to create a reflecting pond. The house was designed so that from every room, you can see the garden and feel in communion with its peace and serenity.

Over time, the garden expanded, spilling out from the house and meandering into the forest, where unexpected touches emphasize the Midsummer Night’s Dream-like atmosphere. Fairy tale elements abound. At one point, the garden featured a Sleeping Beauty bed: a blanket of moss bordered by a cascade of birch bark masquerading as bed skirts, between iron head and footboards – the perfect place to imagine Beauty waiting for Prince Adrien to awaken her.

On the water side of the house, the dammed creek forms a still pool where swans glide, mirrored in the water. A gazebo offers a romantic spot for midnight suppers or sun-dappled breakfasts. During the daytime, the surroundings feel entirely natural, decorated with local ferns, reeds, and a bed of Iris pseudacorus. At night, lights illuminate the pond in changing colours.

One side of the pool features a moss woman, Estelle, named for the gardener who created her. A wooden footbridge in another corner of the pond is hidden in summer by flower boxes so heavily planted with bright annuals that visitors often think the blooms are floating on the water.

Statuary, stained glass, and wrought iron work appear in both expected and unexpected places. The iron gate leading to the pond is a fine example, created by Adrien, who loves to dabble in welded art, and his friend Roger. The gate features whimsical birds, including a crow with red wings. There are playful touches everywhere.

At one time, La Chasse-Gardée du Marais was the site of lively parties attended by beautiful people. It was opened to excursions as a local attraction. Several videos on YouTube feature this storybook garden in Chelsea, and two books have been produced celebrating it. Many in Ottawa and Gatineau know exactly what you mean when you mention this remarkable place.

Four years ago, Adrien and Réjean decided to focus on the garden as a place nearer to the house. “We have brought the garden closer to us,” Adrien explains, showing the tiny village they are building near the front driveway, just below the chicken coop (yes, there are chickens). The emerging village features a replica church and town buildings, each beautifully detailed. “We have a team working full time on the little village,” says Adrien. He adds, “I have a hard time sleeping because I am filled with the passion of ideas.”

Réjean says little, but his quiet presence speaks volumes. They are two sides of a coin. “No photos of me alone,” Adrien instructs. “Only with Réjean. He is half of this garden.”

The smoke still hangs in the air as we leave, but the taxi driver wears a broad smile. He, too, visited the garden, taking photos to send to his family. Catching a glimpse of the flower-laden bridge over the pond, he becomes my collaborator for a moment, backing up so I can snap a final photo through the trees.