At the end of the 19th century, the gardens of Giverny were divided into two parts, the Clos Normand around the house, and the water garden on the other side of the railway. In this area, Claude Monet had a pond dug by diverting the ‘ru de l’Epte’. The painter planted there exotic varieties such as bamboo, ginkgo biloba, maple, and Japanese peonies. As he was very fond of flowers, he chose at random from a catalogue to plant the nympheas that would inspire him so much. In order to preserve the beauty of the site, the estate’s gardeners carry out regular maintenance.