Jardin botanique d'Èze, Botanical garden on Mediterranean cliff in Èze, France.
The Jardin botanique d'Èze occupies steep ground on the Place du Général de Gaulle, on the site of a ruined chateau, with the terrain dropping roughly 400 metres to the Mediterranean. Beds of cactus and succulents are set among pale limestone rocks: golden barrel cacti with yellow spines, tall ribbed columnar cacti, grey-green agave and yucca clumps, and low rosette succulents, with small pink and blue flowers scattered between them.
The garden was created after World War II on the ruins of a château by Èze mayor André Gianton and Jean Gastaud of the Jardin Exotique de Monaco. In the winter of 2003–2004 it was completely redesigned by landscape architect Jean Mus, known for Mediterranean gardens.
The garden takes its name from Èze, the hill village above the coast where it stands; "exotic" refers to the cactus and succulent collection rather than to the village itself. It was laid out in the winter of 2003–2004 by landscape architect Jean Mus, known for Mediterranean gardens, and the planting beds of limestone blocks, golden barrel cacti and agaves follow his arrangement.
The terrain slopes downward with pathways that require steady footing, so sturdy shoes are recommended for comfortable walking through the garden. Visiting early in the day is wise, as the sun can be strong in the afternoon and shade is limited throughout the space.
The garden occupies the ruins of a château, and the site drops roughly 400 metres to the Mediterranean, so the planting terraces look straight down onto the coast. The round golden barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonii) in the foreground, with yellow spines, are among the species listed in the collection alongside Ferocactus pilosus and the columnar Neobuxbaumia polylopha.
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