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The Botanical Three centuries of botanical tradition

A small humid tropical , Arid greenhouse (1) within the Palm house, open to the The arid were created public for free visits (since 2012), in the beginning of the 1980s. presents some of the most remarkable In a semi-natural setting, the dome specimens of greenhouse : contains African plants, mainly carnivorous plants, orchids, etc. Collections euphorbia and aloes from Madagascar and South Africa. One Canary Islands Greenhouse (4) and wing of the greenhouse displays a The Canary Islands have a large large variety of cacti (America) and number of original plants qualified landscape another houses succulent plants. as endemic. In the greenhouse dedicated to them, the Botanical Palm house and humid tropic Garden has recreated the local greenhouse (2 and 5) biotope in a presentation that is fairly Located at the heart of the city, The Palm House, which dominates the rare in France. the Botanical Garden is a breathing garden, is an elegant greenhouse made space that encourages relaxation and of metal and glass that is over a hundred Carnivorous plants (6) learning. A promenade along its soft years old. Under the dome culminating The Botanical Garden carnivorous edged paths to get lost in a garden at 10 metres, a tropical forest ecosystem plants develop in an outdoor peat maze, discover a camellia collection thrives in a hot and humid atmosphere. bog and in a cold greenhouse (after unique in France and enter the Thanks to an ingenious artificial bark 2012). A special occasion, especially magical world of exotic plants: system designed in Nantes, epiphytic for children, to see these plants up allow yourself to be seduced by plants colonise this reconstituted close and understand the different the Botanical Garden. semi-natural medium. manners in which they trap their prey.

The Botanical Garden: at the heart of plants The Botanical Gardens of Nantes, with setting and for its permanent concern for 7 hectares of green spaces in the centre the re-introduction of rare species. As an of town, more than 10,000 living species, example we will cite the wild tulip, which 800 square metres of greenhouses and more disappeared in the 1970s and was than 50,00 flowers planted each season, reintroduced in 2010 in the holder of the Remarkable Garden label, of the region. is among the four leading botanical gardens Its great beauty in all seasons and its in France. remarkable specimens (Hectot’s Magnolia, The collections have developed and American tulip tree and more recently a specialised over 150 years. The Botanical Wollemi pine, etc.) make the Botanical Garden, which is both a scientific and a Garden a major in Nantes, , has become a world visited every year by more than 1.2 million reference, especially for its camellia visitors. collection which is unique in France, for the culture of epiphytic* plants in a semi-natural * Plants that grow on other plants without being parasites.

Armorican (8) Almost all the 1500 species of Camellias (11) regional plants thrive in an outdoor Nantes has a camellia collection library, grouped per family. You can which is unique in France: more than even discover some rare plants 1000 varieties in Nantes, of which (wild tulip) or plants which have more than 500 in the Botanical disappeared from the wild (Marsilea Garden. This collection is officially Families quadrifolia). recognised as a national reference Grouped with great care, the trees collection. These varieties include and bushes from the same botanical Medicinal plants camellias created in Nantes, such as family compose harmonious and and toxic plants (9) the camellia Ville de Nantes. coherent spaces in various sections Successor of the Garden of the garden: walnut family, berberis of the 17th century, the plot The mountain family, etc. dedicated to medicinal and toxic and the grotto (12 and 13) Perennials from the mountain chains plants is still used as a lecture support The rock gardens and other grottos of the entire world (flora from the for students in the pharmacy school. as well as the belvedere «mountain» Alps, the Caucasus, Japan, Chile, etc.) composed of a maze, were grow near the waterfalls. Pollen sentinel (10) amusing and romantic parts of any The pollen sentinel is a unique English style landscape in the 19th The flower palette (7) concept in France. It is composed century. Dominique Noisette, 167 squares replanted twice a year of 20 species of allergenic plants from the who display all the flowering plant species the region. It provides information on co-designed the garden, has created chosen to decorate the garden areas pollen emissions to a specialist these landscapes in the tradition of of Nantes. medical network. the period.

Extra- Hectot’s Magnolia (E) Myrmecodia Hectot’s Magnolia (Magnolia ordinary Clever. Myrmecodia is a plant in grandiflora), with its 200 springs which the base of the stem has and a trunk measuring 2.30 metres in plants transformed itself into an ants nest circumference, is one of the oldest and which makes nectar at the base magnolias in , planted by Jean They are often, rare, amazing and very of its leaves. It provides food and Alexandre Hectot, the first director of old. They are unique and always very housing for the ants. In exchange the the Botanical Garden. The marquis beautiful. The remarkable specimens plant feeds on their waste and Barin de la Galissonniere, a ship of the Botanical Garden, trees or plants, benefits from the protection of these owner, brought for the first time in are an inexhaustible source of dangerous ants (in the palm house). Europe the young magnolia sapling pleasure and wonder for garden lovers. to Nantes. Metasequoia (B) Welwitschia mirabilis The metasequoia is one of the few American Tulip Tree (G) This extremely rare plant, with its two trees discovered in the XXth century. At 35 metres, the American Tulip Tree simple leaves, grows in the middle of Known for centuries as a fossil, this is a big tree, as big as an oak. Its the Namibia desert, one of the most conifer which loses its needles, was enormous flowers are in the shape of arid regions in the world. It can live found alive in a Chinese valley in a tulip. The Botanical Garden has for thousands of years. While the tip 1941. The Botanical Garden collected several dozens of trees which are over of the leaf dries up and dies, the plant and planted seeds of this majestic a hundred years old. An allusion to continues to grow a centimetre a year tree on 1955, it now measures about history, its wood is now used to make (in the arid greenhouse). twenty metres. the Machines of the Ile de Nantes.

The extras and parasols and has a baby changing Municipal botanical lectures of the garden area available. Contact the admission. The municipal botanical lectures existed since the creation of the Admission gate Visit of the greenhouses garden 150 years ago. They were The admission gate is an important The Botanical Garden proposes restarted in 1998 and take place over part of the garden. It sells the free guided visits of the different a two year cycle, previous registration admission tickets for the greenhouse greenhouses led by specialists is required. visits and, on request, it lends books Contact the admission. and board games to take advantage Library of the green beach. The admission Activities The botanical library of the Botanical gate, starting point of all the visits, Every month, the Botanical Garden Garden is open to the public on also includes a boutique and proposes organises an activity programme as appointment. diverse information on the other a function of the season and proposes Contact the admission. gardens and monuments of Nantes. greenhouse visits. Cultural and plant manifestations are organised Seeds Green beach periodically: Flower bed arts, All the plants of the Botanical Garden A time to relax, a family snack or a The green hour - Summer hours, etc. are obtained from seeds acquired reading pause in the sun: near the through exchanges between botanical children’s playground, the green Services gardens all over the world. Every year beach is fully accessible to the public. Several services are proposed to since 150 years, the Botanical Garden Bathing is authorised for the children the visitors: a playground for children, of Nantes makes available more than in the summer only. On demand, the a restaurant- room with a terrace, 12000 seed species to botanical Botanical Garden lends deckchairs and a merry-go-round. gardens from all over the world.

Ginkgo biloba (H) Known as the Maidenhair tree, Wollemi Pine (J) Ginkgo biloba disappeared from a The youngest member of the garden, natural setting thousands of years the Wollemi Pine was discovered in ago. The only specimens known today 1997 by a forest ranger in an Australian are cultivated. This beautiful tree valley. There are fewer than 100 grows slowly and is widely use specimens in the wild. A young tree, in pharmacy. from wild parents, was planted in the A group of three subjects over Botanical Garden in 2009. It participates a hundred years old such as the one in the conservation plan for this species. History of statues in the Botanical Garden is rare. There are five statues visible in The menagerie the Garden: The Bather with a mirror, Bald cypress (I) The presence of a menagerie is part the Reaper or Lady with a sheaf; Doctor The Botanical Garden Greenhouse visit Additional services The bald cypress is a conifer from of the botanical garden tradition. Ecorchard; Deer, doe and fawn; Rue Stanislas-Baudry - Nantes (by reservation) café Louisiana. This swamp inhabitant has Privileging a direct contact between Jules Verne. +33 (0)2 40 41 65 09 Wednesday: 3:15 pm Restaurant - Tearoom Thursday: 12:30 pm roots that come out of the water the public and the animals, the Jean-Marie Écorchard, doctor and Reservation and information: Friday: 3 pm (pneumatophores) to breathe, and Botanical Garden presents pygmy botanist, was the co-designer and +33 (0)2 28 44 27 08 loses its needles in the winter. The goats, parrots. Each of its has director of the Botanical Garden in the Summer: 8:30 am - 8 pm Saturday: 3 pm and 4 pm (all year Merry-go-round Spring, autumn: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm round); 5 pm (from 15 January to 17 bald cypress of the Botanical Garden, a very beautiful collection of ducks 19th century. He was bitten by a viper All year round Winter: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm November). which is over a hundred years old, from 25 different species, i.e. a very while collecting plants with his students, Sunday: 10 am, 11 am, 3 pm and 4 pm from 10 am to 6 pm has developed very visible beautiful illustration of European and died because he did not want to (all year round); 5 pm (from 15 January Tram line 1, SNCF train station stop pneumatophores. ducks. stop his lecture. to 17 November). Bus 12, SNCF train station stop The Botanical Garden Three centuries of botanical tradition

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D U A L L I A C C I R É D É R F E U R Direction de la communication Ville de Nantes 2011 - © Jean-Dominique Billaud, Jean Renaudineau Illustration : Marie Bretaud Double Mixte / Anima.productions : Direction de la communication Ville

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R U E K É C O R C H A R ch â teau des ducs D de bretagne ( 7 5 0 m )

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S N C F train station ( 5 0 m ) tram ( 5 0 m )

Remarkable trees Greenhouses & mixed borders Reception Services

A. Cercidiphyllum 1. Arid greenhouse & leisure activities Restaurant

B. Metasequoia 2. Humid tropical greenhouse Reception Toilets

C. Cladrastis 3. Orangery café Hectot Room (Exposition) Disabled toilet

D. Arbutus unedo 4. Canary Islands Greenhouse Playground Baby space (Changing station) E. Hectot’s Magnolia 5. Palm House Paddling pool Path accessible for PRM* F. Serbian spruce 6. Carnivorous plants Green beach *Access for persons with reduced mobility G. American Tulip Tree 7. Flower palette The park is accessible to persons with Merry-go-round reduced mobility (follow the path H. Ginkgo 8. Armorican flora indicated on the plan). The slope View-point facilitates a north-south perambulation, I. Bald cypress 9. Medicinal plants from the rue Gambetta entry towards the Aviary J. Wollemi Pine 10. Pollen sentinel train station. The «mountain» and «grotto» Menagerie sites are not wheelchair accessible. K. Bur oak 11. Camellias Adapted toilets. Mechanical showcase 12. Mountain

13. Grotto

Nantes, between 6

5 Nantes parks botanical tradition and gardens 7 and wild nature 1. 4 The heir of a long botanical tradition, Nantes start of the Nantes horticultural adventure 2. Île de Versailles 3. Parc de Procé has been recognised for the quality and with the creation of the Apothecary Garden. 4. Parc de la Gaudinière wealth of its eight parks. A tradition as a An adventure amplified in the 18th century. 3 2 8 5. Cimetière-parc lifestyle that combines the history of Nantes In 1726, to enlarge the botanical collections 1 6. Parc de la Chantrerie and its geography. of the country, Louis XIV orders ship 9 7. Parc floral de la Beaujoire Through the centuries, the parks captains to bring back plants and seeds 8. Parc du Grand Blottereau and gardens of Nantes have developed from their long voyages. The mild climate 9. Jardins de l’île de Nantes their own identity and special landscapes. and oceanic influence allowed plants from In 1687-88, the reign of Louis XIV marks the the entire world to prosper in Nantes.