The historic gardens of Le Lude extend over several levels between the Château and the bed of the Loir.

Since the 17th century, the old stronghold surrounded by its wide moat has given onto an elegant terrace edged by a stone balustrade over 200 metres in length.

The lower gardens running along the riverbank were originally a vegetable garden, which was transformed in the 19th century by Edouard André into gardens in the French style. Parterres of flowers and ponds succeed each other, while an assortment of scented flowering shrubs (chimonanthus, lilac, philadelphus, calycanthus…) underscore the wall. At the same period, the great fields that spread over the opposite bank were planted as an 'agricultural park'.

The spring garden provides the link to the woodland park. Spring-flowering perennials (hellebore, euphorbia, hosta) surround rocaille features built in the 19th century: a kiosk, grotto and landing stage.

The 2-hectare wall garden was designed by Edouard André in 1880. Incorporating several greenhouses, an orangery and beds of seedlings, it is still in use today. Rows of fruit trees, flowers and rare vegetables fill its three terraces.

Finally, the Jardin de l'éperon, designed in 1997, spreads out at the foot of the Louis XVI façade. The yew hedges underscore the dominance of the fortress and enclose a maze of box and a rose garden. There one finds a collection of Chinese, tea and hybrid tea roses such as 'Mutabilis', 'Old Blush', 'Louis XIV' and Irène Watts'.