By Kyriaki Topalidou
Copyright monacolife
The Jardin Serre de la Madone, perched on the heights above Menton, has received €300,000 from France’s Heritage Lottery after being selected as the sole garden among 18 emblematic sites chosen for the 2025 scheme.
The prize giving ceremony, which took place on September 19th during European Heritage Days, saw Jacques Joncour, department delegate of the Heritage Foundation and Anne-Sophie Jupinet, sector manager for FDJ United, present the cheque to Michael Likierman, president of the ‘Association for the Safeguarding of Exceptional Gardens of the Mentonnais’ (ASJEM). The funding will support restoration of the botanical masterpiece created in 1924 by British landscape architect Lawrence Johnston, who also designed Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire.
Menton’s mayor was among notable guests during the prize giving ceremony. The Heritage Lottery scheme, launched in 2018 under Stéphane Bern’s patronage, aims to rescue endangered heritage sites through a partnership between the Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and lottery operator FDJ United. Since its inception, the initiative has raised over €150 million supporting more than 980 sites across France.
This year’s selection examined over 700 applications, making Serre de la Madone’s designation as the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region’s emblematic project particularly significant. The nine-hectare terraced garden, classified as a Historic Monument since 1990 and awarded ‘Remarkable Garden’ status, is undergoing a comprehensive €3.2 million restoration programme that began in 2025.
The restoration encompasses rehabilitation of the heated greenhouse, pergola and stone terrace walls alongside modernisation of hydraulic installations including pools, fountains and channels. Work also includes creating a new nursery, restoring sculptures, stabilising the villa and progressive replanting of botanical collections featuring citrus trees, hedgerows, aquatic gardens and cacti.
A living-breathing heritage
Gilles Deparis director of ASJEM, which manages the restoration project, highlighted the importance of the funding. “This recognition will enable essential work to preserve and showcase this botanical jewel conceived by Lawrence Johnston in the heart of Menton,” he said. “We can transmit this exceptional living heritage while strengthening its role as a place of history, biodiversity and culture.”
The garden houses three nationally recognised botanical collection certified by the Conservatory of Specialised Plant Collections. These include Araliaceae featuring tropical foliage such as Tetrapanax papyrifer and Fatsia japonica, Pittosporaceae including Asian and Oceanic species known for lustrous foliage and orange-scented flowers, and Proteaceae encompassing Australian and South African genera including Grevillea, Banksia and Macadamia that offer rare textures and graphic flowering displays. The collections represent Johnston’s vision of creating a living laboratory where species from five continents could adapt to Mediterranean conditions.
However, despite the Heritage Lottery designation, organisers stress significant funding requirements remain. A public appeal for private sponsorship and individual donations offers tax relief of 66% for income tax, 75% for wealth tax and 60% for businesses. Supporters can sponsor specific elements such as lemon trees, contribute to particular restoration projects or organise events within the garden.
The garden, owned by the Coastal Conservatory since 1999, attracts over 10,000 visitors annually with projections of 30% growth by 2027. It remains open year-round except mid-November to mid-December, offering both self-guided tours and specialist botanical walks
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Main photo credit: Monaco Life
