A 100-hectare estate

Doreen Bovet, wife of Bernard Bovet de Mestral and mother of the current owner, had a garden planted at the Château.

Originally from San Francisco and passionate about irises, it was only natural that she placed an order for five new varieties from Schreiner, a famous Swiss hybridizer based in America. Sixty-five years ago, when she planted the very first rhizome, Miss California, she brought the garden to life without imagining that it would become the largest in Europe a few decades later.

A skilled entrepreneur, Doreen inaugurated the first Floralies in 1955, with the idea of subsidizing the costs of maintaining the estate. The chatelaine was passionate about irises, and every trip to the United States was an excuse to buy new varieties, elite rhizomes selected by the most renowned hybridizers.

Doreen died in 1974, after devoting the last 20 years of her life to the Domaine du Château de Vullierens.

Daria inherited her mother Doreen Bovet’s passion for gardens, flowers, and irises in particular. She could identify each iris by name, and there were more than 400 of them.

A resident of New York, she spent every summer in Vullierens, particularly in the gardens. She passed away in 2013, and a garden in her memory was created in 2014.

Gabrielle Martignier is the heart and soul of the iris and daylily collection. A native of the village, Gabrielle—affectionately known as “Gaby”—discovered irises as a child and developed a passion for these flowers. She then assisted Doreen Bovet in maintaining and developing the gardens.
For nearly 70 years, until her retirement in 2003 at the age of 84, she devoted her life to the estate, meticulously preparing the explosion of color that lights up every spring. Responsible for the Gardens since 1974, she played an essential role in their renown.

With the help of Dr. Bovet, she created new varieties of irises, some of which even appeared on stamps issued by the Principality of Monaco after visits by Princess Caroline. She also introduced the collection of daylilies, leaving a lasting mark on the botanical heritage of the Château de Vullierens.

Lucy Mercier is the living memory of the gardens. A native of the village, Lucy began working in the Château gardens at a very young age, alongside Gabrielle Martignier, who passed on to her the secrets of growing irises.

In 2004, after decades of learning and passion, she took over the reins of the Gardens and became their true memory. Until she was 90, she could still be seen advising visitors or delicately removing wilted flowers from the side of a path. A simple gesture that became the symbol of her unwavering attachment to the estate.

Silvana Facchini, passionate about art and gardens, joined the Châtelain de Vullierens in 2007 and naturally became involved in the life of the Château and its gardens.

With passion and energy, she worked on restoring the interiors and beautifying the estate. Passionate about roses, she had hundreds of multicolored varieties planted and designed the Kinetic Rose Garden, dedicated to the memory of Dorianne. She helped make the Château a place where nature and art meet, coordinating exhibitions in the gallery and new sculptures.

Born in São Paulo and of Italian origin, Silvana Facchini founded a contemporary art gallery in Miami in 1999, which quickly gained recognition, notably through its participation in Art Basel Miami.

Upon her arrival in Vullierens, Silvana devoted her energy and taste to restoring the interior of the Château and beautifying the gardens. She coordinated and organized art exhibitions in the gallery and sculpture exhibitions in the gardens.