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[LUM#7] An extraordinary garden

] - Published on in Heritage, Science-Society

From Narcissa's tomb to the Martins greenhouse and the Orangerie, are you sure you know all the secrets of the Jardin des plantes de l'Université de Montpellier?

The wishing tree in the Jardin des Plantes. UM - David Richard / Transit
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Welcome to France's oldest botanical garden. Founded in 1593 by Henri IV, the University of Montpellier's Jardin des Plantes covers almost 5 hectares. For visitors, this island of greenery is an extraordinary garden in the heart of the city. Come and stroll in the shade of the bamboo grove or along the shady paths of the English garden, admire the Martins greenhouse and its "succulent" plants, or dream along the banks of the lotus pond, in the footsteps of André Gide or Paul Valéry, two illustrious fans of the Garden. Attached to the Faculty of Medicine, this area once entirely dedicated to research and teaching continues to attract researchers from all over the world.

The noria and Narcissa's tomb Adorned with rustic succulents and surrounded by reconstructed arcades, the South noria is an ancient well. It overlooks a discreet, mysterious monument: the "tomb of Narcissa". Legend has it that Edward Young, English poet and author of The Nights, secretly buried his stepdaughter here one night in 1736, when she died of tuberculosis.
The observatory
Photos © UM - David Richard / Transit
The English garden and Martins greenhouse. This garden is made up of vast lawns, tall trees and perennial beds that have been reclaimed from the grassy areas. The rotunda of the former astronomy observatory stands next to the large lotus pond. The Martins greenhouse houses a collection of "succulents": from all the dry regions of the globe, cacti, agaves and aloes represent the great cohort of plants that have adapted to the lack of water.
The Orangery At the heart of the garden, the Orangerie, designed to house plants that are resistant enough to the cold, but unable to withstand the Montpellier winters, offers visitors the beauty of its pure lines and deliberate simplicity. Built by a renowned architect, Claude-Mathieu de la Gardette, this large building was completed in 1806.

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