Garden of Perfumes and Spices, Botanical garden in Saint-Philippe, Réunion Island, France

The Jardin des parfums et des épices is a private garden in Saint-Philippe, in the southeast of Réunion. Its paths and boardwalks lead among spice and perfume plants, among them cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and ylang-ylang. The photograph shows one of its flowers: a long maroon-purple tube veined in pale white, with a rounded greenish-yellow pouch tucked into its opening.

The Jardin des parfums et des épices is a private garden in Saint-Philippe, in the south-east of Réunion. It has been open to the public since 1989, and it is listed among the parks and gardens of the island. Its collection brings together spice plants and plants grown for perfume.

The garden's sections are named after the plants cultivated there, and you can observe how aromatic herbs feature in Creole cooking throughout your visit. The spices and medicinal plants grown here remain important to the daily life and food traditions of local people.

Wear sturdy shoes as paths can be slippery, especially after rain, and the terrain is uneven in places. Bring water and sun protection to stay comfortable while exploring the large grounds.

The grounds produce a wide range of goods made and sold on-site, from coffee to essential oils and homemade jams created from the plants you see growing. These products demonstrate how the plants are used in practice and bring traditional production methods to life.