Jaÿsinia
Encyclopedia
Jaÿsinia is a botanical garden
specializing in alpine flowers, located in Samoëns
, Haute-Savoie
, Rhône-Alpes
, France
. It is open daily except when there is snow on the ground; admission is free.
The garden was established in 1906 by Marie-Louise Cognac-Jaÿ, a native of Samoëns and founder of La Samaritaine
department store in Paris, to designs by Louis-Jules Allemand. It opened in 1909. Since 1936 it has been directed by the Scientific Division of Botany from the National Museum of Natural History
.
The garden now contains about 8,000 plants from around the world, representing some 4,500 types of alpine flowers and 500 varieties of trees and shrubs. It is established at an altitude of 700–800 meters above sea level on a steep, south-facing limestone
slope overlooking the old village, with garden features that include ruins of the Tornalta castle (12th century), a chapel (1687), and fountains and cascades. The Maison de la Jaÿsinia is at the garden's entrance, with a reception area providing information about the garden and the history of its founder.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
specializing in alpine flowers, located in Samoëns
Samoëns
Samoëns is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The village of Samoëns is located in the Vallée du Giffre in the French Alps and carries the designation of a "ville fleurie" distinguishing it as one of the most beautiful towns in France...
, Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
, Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is open daily except when there is snow on the ground; admission is free.
The garden was established in 1906 by Marie-Louise Cognac-Jaÿ, a native of Samoëns and founder of La Samaritaine
La Samaritaine
La Samaritaine was a large department store in Paris, France, located in the First Arrondissement. The nearest metro station is Pont-Neuf. It is currently owned by LVMH, a luxury-goods maker. The store, which had been operating at a loss since the 1970s, was finally closed in 2005 because the...
department store in Paris, to designs by Louis-Jules Allemand. It opened in 1909. Since 1936 it has been directed by the Scientific Division of Botany from the National Museum of Natural History
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
.
The garden now contains about 8,000 plants from around the world, representing some 4,500 types of alpine flowers and 500 varieties of trees and shrubs. It is established at an altitude of 700–800 meters above sea level on a steep, south-facing limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
slope overlooking the old village, with garden features that include ruins of the Tornalta castle (12th century), a chapel (1687), and fountains and cascades. The Maison de la Jaÿsinia is at the garden's entrance, with a reception area providing information about the garden and the history of its founder.