The rose garden of the Jardin des Plantes brings together 390 species of roses and traces the entire history of these flowers cultivated since antiquity.
In the National Museum of Natural History
The Rose Garden of the Jardin des Plantes, located along the Mineralogy Gallery, to the right of the National Museum of Natural History or to the left if you come from the Seine, is a very beautiful discovery to make in spring and especially in June . With its 390 species of ancient and modern roses, it is a magnificent and free rose garden available to us, in addition to the superb rosebushes which stand proudly opposite the Museum.
390 wild species and varieties of roses
Whether they form shrubs or rush to attack arches, whether they bloom once a year or come up (i.e. bloom again) several times during the season, the roses of the Garden Plants exhibit their diversity and bear witness to the richness of the genus Rosa. Roses with single flowers, double flowers, fragrant or odorless, climbing, hybrid tea, English, in bouquet… The senses are charmed by this symphony of colors and fragrances, whose apotheosis takes place in May and June.
A didactic and flowery route
The rose garden was designed and planted in 1990, with the common thread of the history of these flowers cultivated since Antiquity. The central alley, shaded by climbing roses, is bordered by flowerbeds through which the walker discovers the colors and scents of varieties with famous names: “Ferdinand Pichard“, “Souvenir de la Malmaison“, “Baron Girod de l’ Ain”, “France”… Contrasting with the delicacy of the flowers, rocks are inserted between the shrubs. They are the external echo of the mineralogical collections kept in the adjoining building of the rose garden, and testify to the diversity of the rocks of France. A geodiversity represented by the sandstone of Fontainebleau (Ile de France), the talc of Luzenac (Pyrenees) or the gabbro of Queyras (Alps)…
A scientific conservatory
Pleasure of the senses, culture of the spirit, the wanderings in the rose garden allow the walker to learn more about the many representatives of the genus Rosa offered to his gaze. The place is home to both botanical species, originally existing in nature, old roses (created before 1867) with delicate fragrances and modern roses (created after 1867) with superb blooms. Among the varieties on display: Pimpinellifolia, Cinnamoneae, Gallicanae, Caninae, gall roses, cent-feuilles, sparkling, damask, portland, alba, rugosa, hazelnuts, bourbons, hybrid tea… Each year, the gardeners of the rose garden provide training free on the pruning of roses to the attention of the public. A way that could not be more pleasant to approach botanical science and horticulture !
