The Jardin des Plantes of the University of Montpellier officially awarded the "Jardin Remarquable" label by the French Ministry of Culture
The "Jardin Remarquable" label is awarded to the Jardin des Plantes of the University of Montpellier for a period of 5 years. It is on the recommendation of the regional director of cultural affairs that the Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier, which is of real interest to the public, has been awarded this distinction. Introduced in 2004, it distinguishes gardens and parks, whether public or private, of cultural, aesthetic, historical or botanical interest. This label recognizes the work undertaken by teams from the University of Montpellier and the Faculty of Medicine to which the Jardin des Plantes is attached. Today, 42 parks and gardens in the Occitanie region have been awarded the label.
What is the "Remarkable Garden" label?
Introduced in 2004 by the French Ministry of Culture, the "Remarkable Garden" label is designed to raise the profile of particularly well-maintained parks and gardens open to the public, whether ancient or contemporary. This label is thus intended as recognition for exceptional places whether or not they are protected as historic monuments. It is awarded́ to gardens of cultural, aesthetic, historical or botanical interest.
This ministerial label meets six criteria: composition, integration into the site and the quality of the surroundings, the presence of remarkable elements, botanical interest, historical interest for old gardens and the quality of maintenance. It is also desirable that maintenance be carried out́ as part of a management plan and with respect for the environment (no phytosanitary products, saving water and means, etc.). This label takes into account parks and gardens in all their diversity (small or extensive, historic or contemporary) of all styles.
The Jardin des Plantes at the University of Montpellier, with its strong pedagogical and scientific interest, and meeting all these conditions, now benefits from this label, which took effect on May 11, 2022 for a renewable 5-year period.
What are the advantages of the "Jardin Remarquable" label awarded to the Jardin des Plantes at the University of Montpellier?
For the exceptional site it already represents (classified as a "site" in 1982, and as a "historic monument" in 1992), this label will enable the Jardin de Plantes de Montpellier to enhance its influence within a national and European network. Created in 1593, the Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier boasts a diversity and richness of collections that made it a veritable study tool for physicians, botanists and humanists. Today, the 4.5-hectare site boasts over 2,000 plant species cultivated in the open air and more than 1,000 in greenhouses. For the University of Montpellier, all the state's institutional recognitions are invaluable aids to its development, helping to protect and enhance it.
The Jardin des Plantes has become a real dynamo. After the restoration of the Martins Greenhouse and the rehabilitation of the Orangery and the Systematic School, the garden's "Intendance" building, recently selected as an "emblematic site in Occitania" by the Heritage Mission, will soon be able to be restored thanks to the 2022 Heritage Lottery, in addition to support from the Jardin des Plantes Foundation and CPER funds. In this way, the UM is continuing its commitment to university historical heritage.
The "Remarkable Garden" label gives rise to a range of advantages, such as the possibility of signposting public spaces in the same way as buildings protected as historical monuments, or consideration in the definition of local town planning schemes. A specific guide to the gardens awarded the label has been published and widely distributed.
"The University of Montpellier is extremely proud to have the Jardin des Plantes officially recognized as a Jardin Remarquable by the French Ministry of Culture. This label rewards all the efforts made in recent years, as it is an emblematic site for a large number of Montpellier residents, a place of knowledge and age-old research for researchers and students, and a veritable showcase of nature and biodiversity in the heart of Montpellier's historic center, " declares Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.