Jardin d'Éden, Île de la Réunion, Tropical botanical garden in Saint-Paul, Réunion Island, France.
Jardin d'Éden is a private landscaped garden in L'Hermitage, Saint-Paul, laid out in the English style with tropical vegetation left to grow wild. It holds close to 300 plant species, among them the Jade Vine, the breadfruit tree, the bilimbi, the rare mambolo and the endangered Mazambron marron (Aloe macra) and Latanier rouge. The grounds are divided into themed zones: dye plants, a pond, a marsh, a bamboo grove, a Creole garden, cacti and euphorbias, and a food area with a hive and a vegetable plot.
Philippe Kaufmant, an agronomist and botany enthusiast, created the garden on former farmland where he had grown asparagus, melons and oyster mushrooms. He and his wife collected seeds for two years, and landscaping began in 1990, lasting one year. The Jardin d'Éden opened to the public on 8 May 1991, laid out by about thirty gardeners. After Kaufmant's death, his wife maintained the garden before it was sold to a company.
The garden contains areas dedicated to plants used in traditional medicine and species valued for producing natural dyes on the island. These sections reflect practical knowledge that has been passed down through generations of local inhabitants.
The garden lies at 155 route Nationale 1 in l'Hermitage-les-Bains, near the beaches and main resorts of the west coast. A visit takes under an hour, and a printed guide booklet and a digital version explain the plants; numbered panels stand in each themed zone.
A stream runs through the garden connecting different themed areas, with blue flowers and medicinal plants positioned along its course. This waterway creates a natural backbone that guides visitors throughout their visit.
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