The Jardin des plantes de Montpellier (4.5 hectares) is a historic botanical garden and arboretum located on Boulevard Henri IV, Montpellier, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. It is maintained by the Université Montpellier 1 and open afternoons daily except Monday; admission is free.
The garden was established in 1593 by letters patent from King
Henri IV, under the leadership of Pierre Richer de Belleval,
professor of botany and anatomy. It
is France's oldest botanical garden, inspired by the Orto
botanico di Padova (1545) and in turn serving as model for the
Jardin des Plantes de Paris (1626).
The Montagne de Richer lies within the garden's oldest
section, which also now contains a systematic garden. The garden
was expanded twice in the 19th century. Its orangery was designed
by Claude-Mathieu Delagardette (1762–1805) and completed in 1804,
the arboretum was landscaped in 1810, and the English Garden, with
pool and greenhouse, dates from 1859. The monumental Martins
greenhouse opened in 1860.
Today the garden contains about 2,680 plant species, including
500 native to the Mediterranean region. Of these roughly 2,000
species are grown outdoors, and 1,000 under glass. Major sections
of the garden are as follows:
-
Montagne de Richer - a Cistaceae collection
- Systematic garden - plants classified according to the Bentham
& Hooker system, 1883, complemented by Elias Durand, 1887.
- Medicinal plants - about 250 plants of traditional
Mediterranean medicines and herbs
- Succulents - about 50 species
- Orangery and cold greenhouse - about 110 species
- Palm trees - 9 varieties, including Brahea armata and
Butia capitata.
- Arboretum - Fine mature specimens including Acer
neapolitanum, Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum
camphora, Cupressus goveniana, Cupressus
macrocarpa, Cupressus sempervirens, Quercus
calliprinos, Quercus coccifera, and Zelkova
serrata. The male Gingko biloba, planted in the late
18th century, is particularly noteworthy.
- Greenhouse - 423 species in three rooms, including a tropical
room with large central basin for aquatic plants, and two temperate
rooms. Of interest are the collections of ferns, Bromeliaceae,
and Orchidaceae, with good collections from French
Guiana.
- Naturalized plants - including Delphinium requienii,
Fumaria bicolor, Fumaria kralikii, Linaria
reflexa, Modiola caroliniana, Salpichroa
origanifolia, Symphytum orientale, and Stipa
trichotoma.
See also
- Jardin botanique de Saint Xist, an affiliate garden
References
-
Jardin des plantes de Montpellier
- Rioux, Jean Antoine. Le Jardin des plantes de
Montpellier. Graulhet : Odyssée, 1994, 230 p. ISBN
2-909478-01-7.
- Rioux, Jean Antoine. Le Jardin des plantes de
Montpellier : les leçons de l'histoire. Montpellier :
Sauramps Medical, 2004, 114 p. ISBN 2-84023-307-X.
- Jarry, Daniel & Balmès, Michel. Les Plantes médicinales au
jardin botanique : vade-mecum au jardin des plantes de
Montpellier. Montpellier : Sauramps médical, 2004, 104
p. ISBN 2-84023-368-1.
- Jarry, Daniel M. Le jardin des plantes de Montpellier :
à découvrir ou à redécouvrir. Montpellier : Sauramps
médical, 2008, 90 p. ISBN 978-2-84023-549-1.
-
1001 Fleurs entry (French)
-
Je Decouvre la France entry (French)
- French Wikipedia article