Nestling in a secret valley just a few minutes from the centre of Menton, the Jardin Serre de la Madone reveals itself like an unsuspected treasure. Here, every step, every terrace, every leaf tells a story of travel and botanical passion. A place where art, science and poetry have been in dialogue for almost a century, under the aegis of a visionary man: Lawrence Johnston.
The origins of a dreamy explorer
In the 1920s, Lawrence Johnstonan American botanist who became a naturalized British citizen, was looking for a setting to match his ambitions: to acclimatise rare species collected from the four corners of the world on the Riviera. He chose Menton, a gentle town where the sea and mountains intertwine, offering a microclimate that is unique in Europe. Between 1924 and 1939, he patiently fashioned nine hectares of restanques, adorning the terraces with staircases, pergolas and ponds, and creating a dialogue between Mediterranean rigour and tropical exuberance.
A renaissance after oblivion
After the death of its creator in 1958, the garden fell into oblivion. It wasn't until the end of the 90s that the Coastal Conservatory became the owner and, together with the town of Menton and the Association pour la Sauvegarde des Jardins d'Exception du Mentonnais (ASJEM), embarked on a major restoration project.
Today, the garden is listed as a Historic Monument and has been awarded the "Remarkable garden"and has been designated an emblematic regional site for the Heritage Loto 2025This national recognition accompanies its ambitious renaissance project.
A unique botanical scene
A stroll through the Serre de la Madone is like travelling without a passport. Visitors move from a shady pergola to a lush tropical grove, from a pebble-paved courtyard to a Hispano-Moorish garden with Andalusian accents.
La Serre de la Madone unfolds like a theatre in several acts. As visitors move from one terrace to the next, linked by stone staircases, they move from one set to the next as if they were changing stages.
But be careful, as our tour guide Christophe points out, we are in a "garden". Art and Craft " In other words, the transitions are always delicate! Johnston had a good idea every 3 minutes!
The garden is home to more than 1700 species, including three approved national botanical collections: the araliaceaewith spectacular foliage creating a temperate canopy effect never seen before on the Côte d'Azur, the pittosporaceaethese fragrant essences from Asia and Oceania, and finally the ProteinaceousThese plants, native to South Africa and Australia, offer graphic, colourful blooms.
The restoration work underway is not limited to saving the structures and plants. It aims to make the Serre de la Madone a garden for the 21st century, one that is resilient, ecological and open to all.
Visitors are free to explore the terraces or choose a themed guided tour. But here, in the Serre de la Madone garden, nature and mankind always speak softly to each other.
Getting there
Jardin Serre de la Madone
Length of visit: 1? to 2 hours to enjoy the terraces and pools.
Tip: it's best to visit in the morning or late afternoon for the light and peace and quiet.
Also in Menton :
Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden (exotic collections).
Fontana Rosa (Blasco Ibáñez's literary garden).
The Palais Carnolès and its orangery.
Good plan The "Pass Jardins de Menton" allows visitors to visit several of the town's outstanding gardens at a reduced rate.
Text : Laurence Grémy
Photos : Madonna greenhouse
