Parc Floral de la Source, Botanical garden and park in La Source, Orléans, France
The Parc Floral de la Source is a botanical garden in Orléans featuring multiple garden sections spread across the grounds. It displays iris and rose plantings, open meadows, dahlia beds, and other flowering displays arranged throughout the space.
The land was ceded in 510 by Clovis to the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Mesmin de Micy, and from 1427 it passed through noble families. The first large French-style garden works date from the early 18th century; in the 1720s an ice-house, a library gallery, bas-reliefs and a terrace were added. In 1959 the city and the département bought 410 hectares, keeping 35 for the park, which opened in 1964.
The park takes its name from the Bouillon, the resurgence where the Loiret river surfaces after an underground course of several miles. The Loiret gives its name to the Loiret department, and the spring is the park's central feature, ringed by ferns and rhododendrons.
Plan to spend around 90 minutes walking through the various sections to see the plantings and landscapes. The paths are generally easy to walk and connect the different areas throughout the grounds.
The grounds feature a heated greenhouse where tropical butterflies fly freely among banana plants, papayas, and blooming orchids. This section offers a completely different experience of plants and climate compared to the rest of the garden.
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