A botanical journey across five continents
The Jardin zoologique tropical is about much more than its animals. For many years, the park has also been developing a true enthusiast’s botanical garden, shaped with patience, curiosity and high standards. Here, planting is never merely decorative. Each area of the garden conveys an atmosphere, a climate, a geographical origin or a particular fascination for certain plant families.
Visitors discover a park where the walk changes with the seasons, where foliage, silhouettes and flowers are constantly renewed, and where some collections surprise botany lovers as much as families who have simply come to enjoy a good day out.
This quality has been recognised by the recent renewal of the Jardin remarquable label, an official distinction awarded by the French Ministry of Culture to gardens of genuine landscape, botanical and heritage interest. For us, the label above all recognises long-term work carried out on the ground with care and passion.
A garden built over time
A garden with character is not created in a single season. It grows slowly, through plantings, trials, successes and sometimes replacements, always with an overall vision.
At the Jardin zoologique tropical, several major areas have now reached a fine maturity:
- The bamboo grove, planted more than twenty years ago, is now one of the most popular spots in the park.
- The Mexican area, created more than fifteen years ago, brings together architectural plants adapted to dry climates.
- The palm grove, developed from 2008 when the lemurs arrived, now offers a structured and elegant setting.
These areas keep evolving. The garden remains alive, regularly enriched with new plantings, new plant combinations and new botanical trials.
A well-established palm grove
Palms play an essential role in the atmosphere of the park. They instantly give the walk an exotic feel and frame the views.
The palm grove includes:
- Washingtonia
- Jubaea chilensis
- Trachycarpus
- Butia
- Yatay (Butia yatay)
Now well established, these specimens bring height, verticality and presence to the landscape. Some impress with their trunks, others with the mass of their foliage or their elegant silhouette.
In a Mediterranean garden, palms also create an instant feeling of travel. They show how the climate of the Var coast allows plants from distant regions to thrive.
The bamboo grove: coolness, movement and a change of scenery
Few areas make as strong an impression on visitors as the bamboo grove. After more than twenty years, it has gained the density and height that give mature bamboo its full character.
Species include:
- Phyllostachys viridis
- Phyllostachys humilis
- Phyllostachys prominens
- Bambusa textilis
- Bashania fargesii
As soon as you enter this area, the atmosphere changes. The light softens, the wind stirs the canes and leaves, the sounds change. The place naturally invites you to slow down.
Many visitors tell us how much this part of the park surprises them. It brings an atmosphere that is rare in the Var, almost unexpected, and shows what time can achieve when a garden is looked after consistently.
The Mexican area: bold shapes and resilience
Created more than fifteen years ago, the Mexican area showcases plants from arid and semi-arid regions. Here, shapes often take the place of spectacular flowers: powerful silhouettes, rigid leaves, sculptural volumes.
Visitors can see several remarkable yuccas:
- Yucca filifera
- Yucca rostrata
- Yucca elephantipes
- Yucca queretaroensis
- Yucca faxoniana
as well as several agaves, including:
- Agave ovatifolia
- Agave lophantha
Enthusiasts love these plants for their unique architecture. They also reflect precise horticultural know-how: growing some species successfully over the long term requires an understanding of drainage, exposure, slow growth and adaptation to the local climate.
A window on Australian flora
The garden is also home to several Australian or related species, less familiar to the general public but particularly interesting for enthusiasts.
Among them:
- Homalanthus populifolius
- Grevillea banksii
- Xanthorrhoea australis
- Hakea laurina
These plants offer another view of the plant world: different foliage, original shapes, unusual flowers and adaptation strategies specific to Australian climates.
Their presence reflects the garden’s purpose: not to stick to the most common species, but to offer a richer, more curious discovery.
Cycads and rare plants
The park also grows species prized by experienced enthusiasts, such as Cycas panzhihuaensis, a cycad from China particularly sought after for its relative hardiness and botanical interest.
These choices show the direction of the garden: a collection designed by someone who truly knows plants, their history, their needs and their horticultural value.
Mimosa season: a highlight of the garden
Every garden has its high seasons. Here, winter and late winter are marked by the flowering of many mimosas.
The park grows, among others:
- Acacia greggii
- Mimosa ‘Maréchal Joffre’
- Acacia terminalis
- Acacia longifolia
When these trees come into flower, the garden takes on a new atmosphere. Bright yellows contrast with the winter sky, scents fill the air, and visitors are often impressed by the generosity of the show.
This period is a reminder that a Mediterranean garden can be attractive even in the cooler season.
A connoisseur’s garden, open to all
The Jardin zoologique tropical is based on a simple conviction: a specialist garden does not need to be elitist.
Botany enthusiasts will find:
- unusual species,
- mature specimens,
- interesting plant combinations,
- well-considered horticultural choices.
Non-specialist visitors will find:
- a pleasant walk,
- varied atmospheres,
- shade and coolness,
- striking flowers,
- a real sense of escape.
It is this double appeal that makes the place so rich.
The Jardin remarquable label: much more than a title
The recent renewal of the Jardin remarquable (Remarkable Garden) label confirms the quality of the work carried out.
This label is awarded to gardens that offer:
- genuine botanical interest,
- landscape coherence,
- high-quality upkeep,
- a sustainable approach,
- cultural or heritage value.
For visitors, it is a reliable benchmark. It shows that the plantings you discover are not the result of chance, but of a serious project and recognised expertise.
A garden that keeps evolving
Unlike a fixed backdrop, the park is always on the move. New plantings regularly enrich the collections, fill out certain scenes or prepare the garden of tomorrow.
This momentum is essential. A living garden is never finished. It grows, changes and surprises you again.
That is also what makes people want to come back: a visit in spring, summer, winter or a few years later never tells exactly the same story.
Why discover our plants?
Visiting the Jardin zoologique tropical for its plants means discovering:
- a real botanical garden, not just a backdrop,
- collections built up over several decades,
- a mature bamboo grove,
- a well-established palm grove,
- a Mexican area full of character,
- striking flowers,
- a recognised label,
- the work of a passionate botanist.
A botanical walk in the heart of the Var
In La Londe-les-Maures, between the sea and the hills, the Jardin zoologique tropical offers a rare combination of botanical passion, horticultural expertise and the simple pleasure of a stroll.
Whether you are an experienced plant lover, a curious gardener or simply looking for somewhere different, our plants are an integral part of the park experience.
The garden reveals itself slowly: around a bend in the path, under the bamboos, among the palms or in front of an unexpected flower. That is often where the surprise begins… and the wish to come back.
The “Plantes du Zoo” YouTube channel
Our botanical collection manager, Jean-Michel DUPUYOO, shares the behind-the-scenes of our plant collections on the YouTube channel “Plantes du Zoo” (in French): species discoveries, flowering, care tips and stories from the field. These videos extend the visit and let you explore the botanical wealth of the Jardin zoologique tropical through the seasons. Find the channel here: @plantesduzoo.
Plan your visit
Opening hours, prices, feeding times and directions: → everything you need to prepare your visit