Volcanic greenhouse

The landscaping of this greenhouse was inspired by the volcanic islands of the Canaries. It contains plants that are highly resistant to drought and able to flourish in the midst of cooled lava flows. The rockery at the end of the greenhouse consists entirely of plants native to the region. The central area brings together succulents from Africa, Madagascar and the Americas.

What is a succulent?

Succulent is a name for plants that store water and mineral sugars in their leaves, stems or roots so they can survive long periods of drought. Note the variety of tricks the plants use to adapt to a hostile environment: leaves arranged in a rosette, a waxy and powdery layer on the skin to reduce water loss by evaporation, bristles to capture moisture from the air and protect them from the cold and the sun, poisonous sap and sharp thorns.

There are 12,000 different species of succulent divided into thirty or so botanical families: the cactus family alone has more than 2,000 species!

Map of the garden