The encyclopedia of jardins du Florilège : Mundi Plantarum

On May 17, 2019, somewhere in France, in Chantilly…
With Laurent, at the plant days, we are preparing to celebrate a major event. The idea had been germinating in our heads for more than 20 years, but the task seemed futile at the time.

A common passion, a life project

Both passionate about plants from an early age, we have enriched our knowledge through our travels. Since 1992, like treasure hunters, we have encountered them in Europe and far beyond: in nature, arboretums... Our love for the plant world drives us to bring back our various finds. This philosophy distanced us from mass distribution, from this unbridled consumption and from a disrespect for the cultivation of flora.
We quickly put together files and collected the photos taken from our excursions on a computer. We wanted to establish precise descriptions of these atypical and unknown plants. We were excited to quench that thirst for knowledge and share it with you. It was our baby!

2018: The beginning of our adventures with Mundi Plantarum

On October 19, 2018, we want to upload the plant worlds, “Mundi Plantarum. It becomes the culmination of the long-drawn-out “Euro Encyclo Plant”. This colossal work represents the fruit of:
30 years of observation, contemplation, analysis;
nearly 500 sites visited (nurseries, botanical gardens and parks, arboretums, fairs all over the planet!);
more than 150,000 personal photos;
more than 25,000 plants described;
partnership among the best horticulturists, breeders, breeders, nurseries, collectors, amateurs, etc. ;
a great network of growers and dendrologists.

May 17… finally!

With the company dbcréation de Libramont, the official launch takes place on May 17, 2019. It takes place in the presence of Prince Amyn Aga Kahn, Hélène Fustier, founder of the Courson Plant Days. But also by Didier Wurth from the European Institute of Gardens and Landscapes. The Catalog prize rewards this immense work. It lists and details all the existing families, botanical and horticultural:

  • trees and shrubs ;
  • perennial or annual flowers ;
  • climbers and lianas ;
  • those from here and elsewhere ;
  • the exuberant, the discreet, the invasive…

Mundi Plantarum: our purpose and how it works

This list is not exhaustive as the plant world is full of surprises and wonders. Currently: 25,000 complete sheets and soon more than 20,000 different extraordinary plants! Of course, we put online according to our desires or our favorites of the moment. Our ambitious goal: to create an encyclopedia that lists, details and illustrates as many plants as possible.

This mine of investigations will grow steadily. We will add between 150 and 300 documents depending on the season or our mood. Therefore, we ask for your indulgence in this incomplete and constantly evolving task. Soon, a button "buy this plant" will appear under its files if we have it in store.
Available in French and English, Mundi Plantarum is free for everyone.
How are these cards presented? You will find 2 possible outlines according to your curiosity and your research.

  1. A brief description: it includes the characteristics of the plant. A series of pictograms accompanies it and provides information on the main information (type, soil, size, exposure, attractions and uses).
     
  2. A complete description: it results from our long study, the nuances and specificities of each variety. We bring you tips, advice and anecdotes.

One or more photos embellish the 2 formats and show the various facets: flowers, fruits, port, bark... These photographs precisely locate the date and their author. But don't expect artwork, especially for older, less pixelated ones! Nevertheless, they remain the witness of certain exceptional subjects that have now disappeared. Today, here are some topics we want to discuss with you:

  • horticultural news and our appreciations;
  • the prizes awarded by the English RHS such as those at the Chantilly days;
  • the remarkable ones by season;
  • the unusual.