Botanical garden of Caen

The Botanical garden of Caen is a Botanical garden in the north of the downtown area. It is classified historic building since 1942.

History

In 1689, Jean-Baptiste Callard of Ducquerie, professor at the medical college of the university of Caen, gathered some plants in its private garden; according to his hortus botanicus agri Cadomensis , one could find there 590 Espèce S. a royal edict going back to 1701 encouraged the development of such gardens, but the medical college was hardly worried any. From 1718, the action of professor Callard of Ducquerie was continued and reinforced by professor François Marescot who could acquire in 1736 in the name of the University a ground close to Our-Lady-of-Fields, the Garden-Bénard, arranged in old a Carrière of extraction of the Pierre of Caen; on this undulating ground (18m of unevenness), it introduced, thanks to the assistance of its chief of cultures and successor to the pulpit of botany, Christmas-Sebastien Blot, some 3.500 plants.

In 1789, the Garden passed under the authority of the central administration, then under that of the Prefect. In 1803, the botanical garden, hitherto garden of demonstrations of plants for the medical schools and pharmacy, became municipal, and increases of 3,5 ha. Drawn by the Caen-native architect-landscape designer Dufour, it was then planted by Herment. It was directed thereafter by professor Charles-Nicolas Desmoueux; after its death in 1801, its pupils made raise a tomb in its honor right beside the stone commemorative of Christmas-Sebastien Blot in a solid mass of shrubs. In 1848, 200 workmen cut down an old house going back to 1656 which remained in the Garden. Two large Serre S out of wood were built in 1860; destroyed by fire in 1869, they were rebuilt out of wood and iron. The Orangery, set up in 1835, was also rebuilt in 1863 after a fire. The botanical institute as for him was built in 1891.

In 1905, the street of the Twentieth Century, open in 1901 towards the station Saint Martin's day, was prolonged until the street Desmoueux while crossing the Potager S of the Botanical garden; a new entry with the Garden was then created. The bombardments of 1944 did not save the garden: the two wintergardens and the orangery with all the rare species that they contained were destroyed. Louis Bouket, director, undertook the restoration and the rebuilding of the buildings except for the stage of the orangery. New greenhouses of exposure devoted to the exotic plants were rebuilt in 1988.

Description

The Botanical garden is established on a rough ground; one finds there more than 8.000 species on 5.000m ². Partly low, are presented on 5.000m ²:

the Flora Norman (1 000 spontaneous species)
the medicinal Garden and set of themes (600 plants)
the collections horticultural S (700 varieties)
flowered rubbles, low walls and brooks (1 500 dwarf subjects)
trees, shrubs and conifers (500 woody gasolines)

The greenhouses and the orangery contain 1.500 different exotic species (whose banana tree, coffee-tree, vanilla plant, camphor tree, citrus fruits, orchises, cactées, and giant water lily of South America celebrates it, Victoria cruziana , with the transitory flowers).

Partly high, the famous public park for its mosaïcultures is located, of which the butterfly, emblem of the Garden, and some remarkable trees:

the Sophora japonica (planted in 1750, 10 meters in height and 4,60 m of circumference),
the Sequoiadendron giganteum (planted in 1890, 35 m in height, provided at its top with a lightning conductor),
the Cryptomeria japonica (planted in 1870, 20 m in height).

The Botanical garden received many scientific labels; it is thus approved “Botanical garden of France” since 1997 by the Association of the Botanical gardens of France and the French-speaking countries. But beyond its scientific role of conservation, introduction, reintroduction of plant species and its teaching and cultural vocation, the Botanical garden is also a place of relaxation appreciated by many Residents of Caen since generations; in 2003, it accommodated nearly 204.711 visitors including more than 69.853 for the only open exotic greenhouses 3:00 of opening per day.

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