Chenonceau has two formal gardens on either side of the entrance to the château, each associated with one of its most important owners. The Jardin de Diane de Poitiers, on the north bank of the Cher, is the older of the two — a classic French Renaissance parterre of clipped box and seasonal plantings laid out in geometric beds. The Jardin de Catherine de' Medici, on the south bank, is larger and more expansive, with great round beds and an old-fashioned kitchen garden that supplies the château restaurant.
Beyond the formal gardens, the broader grounds include a wild garden, a maze, a labyrinth, and the Orangerie. In late spring the gardens are at their best, with roses, irises, and bedding plants all in season simultaneously. The kitchen garden is productive and practical — it's not decorative for its own sake but genuinely working, supplying vegetables and herbs for the on-site restaurant. Early morning (the château opens at 9am) is the best time to visit before the crowds arrive.