n°8 Le Jardin de Clairbois

Brix

A fascinating collection of rhododendrons and hydrangeas in a wilderness of trees

An immense collection of rhododendrons started in 1964 by the parents of plantsman   Christophe Egon.  Now lovingly cared for and added to by Christophe and Pascale.  Incidentally, you can browse a huge variety of plants for sale  from their greenhouses and get expert advice on their planting preferences and aftercare from the Egons who are happy to share their  extensive knowledge with their visitors.

An intriguing botanical wander through three successive gardens :  the Hybrid Garden, where the rhododendrons, camellias, pieris, magnolias, hydrangeas and Japanese Maples show each other off;  The Species Garden, where you will find mainly Asian botanical examples, namely rhododendrons, magnolias and pieris,; and finally the Forest Garden, where, in the shade of a mainly deciduous forest Rhododendrons and Pieris, and many others, flourish in their natural environment.  An invigorating and satisfying trek to undertake throughout the year, from the early promise of spring to the dying embers of autumn.

Collections

• Acid loving
• rhododendrons (300 varieties in 7.5 acres)
• hydrangeas
• camellias
• pieris
• magnolias
• heathers
• birches
• Japanese maples

Outstanding plants

• Sequoia sempervirens (more than 150 years old)
• rhododendron calophytum
• rhododendron falconeri
• rhododendron x halopeanum
• rhododendron loderi ‘King George’, loderi ‘Venus’,  ‘Clairbois’, ‘Naomi Exbury’, ‘Sir Charles Lemon’, ‘Souvenir du docteur Charles Favier’
• Hydrangea serrata ‘Robert Bruce’
• Magnolia campbellii, campbellii ‘Charles Raffill’, sieboldii, ‘Star Wars’

Surface

• 7.5 acres