I made a pilgrimage of sorts recently, not to a holy shrine or statuesque cathedral, but to a piece of land that inspired the great impressionist painter Claude Monet: Giverny, in northern France. It was here that he set up his easel and paints, where he planted his garden and where he spent the last years of his life.

Visiting the gardens of Giverny in early spring, you see the delicacy of buds and tender shoots, and feel the sense of rebirth. If you're expecting a crazy-quilt profusion of knockout colors, you won't find them. Come back in late summer when the roses and nasturtiums are out. What you will find now, however, is every bit as beautiful — just softer and very fresh. Paintbox Garden The property is located in a small village in the countryside. You can take a train from Paris to Vernon, then connect by bus to the village, where it's a short walk to the house and gardens.

Pink stucco walls and bright green shutters lend charm to this farmhouse, where Monet lived for 43 years, until his death in 1926. Paintbox Garden The pink crabapples (Malus sp) are a sight to behold in the Clos Normand, the enclosed garden near the house. Their blooms are very romantic and echo the color of the rustic farmhouse.

Pink is a shade that's easy on the eye. The garden is filled with metal supports for pink climbing roses that will be out in profusion later in the season. Paintbox Garden This signature green isn't a hue for the faint of heart. It's everywhere — railings and posts, the porch and benches around Giverny are all painted alike.

Follow this example by combining a mix of fragrant hyacinth bulbs near a sitting area and painting your bench a bold shade for fun. Paintbox Garden Purple hyacinths combine with pansies in swirling shades of violet in this delicious composition. (I would love to know what color the tulips are.)

To get the same look, plant pansies closely around flowering bulbs in your garden beds or containers. Paintbox Garden This circular gravel room has three teal-green benches with curved backs positioned for long views across the lawn areas. Note how the tulips have been planted directly in the lawn, making broad sweeps of color under deciduous trees.

Think about how to position a bench to take advantage of views in your own garden. Paintbox Garden Daffodils have been planted by the hundreds in the lawn area of the Clos Normand — they look like clouds of white drifting across the grass, ethereal and timeless.

This is a nice way to naturalize bulbs. Plant them in a lawn area and let the foliage die back before mowing in early summer. Paintbox Garden Several small footbridges cross a stream along the way to the water lily pond in the Japanese garden, and you find yourself anticipating what's around the next corner.

The mood is hushed and quiet, and you can hear the stream as it meanders; it's a woodland paradise. Paintbox Garden Along the path around the water lily pond, I found these tulips at peak bloom in a luscious shade of red with white edging. They were showstoppers, bringing the crowds to a standstill.

You can see emerging lupines (Lupinus sp) and ferns coming up to fill the bed with the next wave of color and texture. Paintbox Garden Here's the famous Japanese footbridge. It was rebuilt to match the original when restoration of the grounds and gardens brought the property back from the brink of collapse in the 1970s.

Take a look at how the bridge is a primary focal point. A structure of any kind will draw the eye and can be functional, too. Paintbox Garden From the banks and on the water, Monet captured the ever-shifting play of light and color that washed over the pond.

The Water Lilies series (Les Nymphéas) was inspired by what he saw here, and the Musée de l'Orangerie, in Paris, holds the large canvases on permanent display — worth a look after visiting this site. Paintbox Garden The large art studio is the room you enter through and depart from; it was built around 1915. It's colorfully adorned with potted plants and climbing vines, and serves as the gift shop.

You can take home some color from Giverny by purchasing packets of seeds. Orange poppies, sunflowers and blue cornflowers are just some of the available varieties to inspire your own French garden.

Plan a visit:
Maison et Jardins de Claude Monet
Days and hours: In 2013 the site is open March 29 to November 1, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

More: Lessons from Monet's Garden