In the seventeenth century, André Le Notre, head gardener to the french king, Louis XIV, created a new planter for the expansive garden of Versailles. Exotics fruit trees — oranges, lemons, dates — were prized by the king’s court, but the supply was very inconsistent. Likewise, these exotic trees required protection from the cold winters at Versailles. As such, Louis XIV commissioned a south-facing orangery to be built in the palace garden and asked Le Notre to develop planters to host a collection of these exotic trees and thus the iconic oak Versailles planter box was created. Many period drawings, paintings, and descriptions reference the Le Notre planters, which essentially match in form and function the elegant planters produced today by the artisans of the Foundrie Loiselet in Dreux, France. While Versailles planters were traditionally painted green, you have the option to choose from our curated color palette.

Over time, the Versailles planter became a symbol of the classic French garden. The elegant design spread beyond the palace grounds, becoming popular throughout Europe and eventually the world. Today, these planters continue to epitomize classic French design and can be found in a variety of settings, from grand estates to boutique hotels to private gardens and along the boulevards of Paris. Contemporary versions of the Versailles planter, like those in the Seibert and Rice French Heritage Collection, combine artisan craftsmanship with traditional materials. Our painted versions are produced by hand in cast iron and chestnut wood while our unpainted boxes use cast iron and oak, which will weather in time to a pleasing soft grey.