Serre de la Madone
A center for enthusiasts of rare plants in Menton
Twin Gardens
Serre de la Madone was made by the American Lawrence Johnston. Mr Johnston also created its twin Hidcote Manor Garden in England.
Johnston travelled the world gathering exotic flora and his dream was to create a 7 hectare tropical garden here in Menton. Together with a team of gardeners he achieved this by 1939 but died in 1958 without committing anything to paper.
A new lease of life
The garden gradually went into decline. However, following its acquisition by the Conservatoire du Littoral in 1999 things have improved greatly. The visitor today can enjoy the gardens laid out and planted with rare species in a style with which Johnston would have approved.
Don’t miss: the Palazzo, a farmhouse which Johnston extended to open out onto the Garden: the Rond-Pont or Moorish Garden