Jardin Serre de la Madone, Terraced botanical garden in Menton, France

Jardin Serre de la Madone is a six-hectare garden on terraces in the Gorbio valley above Menton, at 74 route de Gorbio. A farmhouse stands at about 80 metres, extended by Lawrence Johnston with two large wings; the photograph shows its pale yellow walls, green shutters and terracotta roof above a terraced garden. Johnston divided the grounds with hedges and low walls, and twelve cisterns held 1,000 m3 of water.

Lawrence Johnston, an American-born British soldier, created this garden starting in 1924 by transforming agricultural terraces in the Gorbio valley near Menton. His dedication turned these farming lands into one of the region's most important botanical collections over the decades.

The garden shows a collector's passion through its distinct zones, where plants from distant lands grow side by side in arranged sections. Visitors can see how the terraced levels function like separate rooms, each displaying botanical specimens that were gathered from travels across two continents.

The site can be explored on foot, with paths between levels accessible either as a self-guided walk or with guided tours. The sloped terrain and uneven surfaces require good mobility, so visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow adequate time to move through the different areas.

The garden's water supply comes from twelve cisterns that Lawrence Johnston built or modernised, holding 1,000 m³ for the terraces. A 200-metre landslide caused by constant rain damaged the property on 24 April 1952. Johnston died there on 27 April 1958. The site was classified as a Monument historique on 12 December 1990.