Description of the attraction
In the historic part of Angers under the open sky, there is another curious landmark of the city - the Jardin-de-Plant botanical garden, also known as the "Garden of Plants".
It was smashed in 1740 by the founder of the Society of Botany Lovers, Luthier de la Richelieu. After almost half a century, the society decided to expand its botanical possessions and bought a plot of land on which the church of the Abbey of Saint-Serge stood and along which a stream flowed. The garden "moved" to its current location in 1791 at the initiative of botanist Gabriel Merle de la Boule. At the very end of the 18th century, botany lessons began to be held on the territory of the garden.
Today, on the territory of the garden, you can see the building of the Church of St. Samson, which is considered the oldest surviving church in Angers. The date of its construction is 1006. Despite the venerable age of the building, in the 19th century it was converted into a greenhouse. In 1972, the church received the status of a historical monument.
In 1901, a hurricane caused significant damage to the botanical garden. At the beginning of the 20th century, the appearance of the garden was recreated and slightly modernized by the landscape architect Edouard André. Currently, the area of the garden is about four hectares, on which there are many old and rare trees. Its territory is decorated with statues and fountains, walking paths are laid. The botanical garden has become a haven for several species of birds and boasts a rich collection of plants.
In Angers, you can visit other, no less beautiful, green corners - for example, the Gaston Ayyar arboretum, located on the outskirts of the city. It is named after the scientist who planted the first plants here. The garden was founded in 1863 and today its area exceeds seven hectares. On its territory you can see rare plants and many coniferous trees. The expanses of the arboretum are decorated with sculptures by the artist Francois Cashot, they were installed here in 2001.
