20. La petite serre

Situated within the International Garden Festival site, this greenhouse is altogether contemporary in its design and is home to a collection of bright red, pink, violet and mauve tropical Water Lilies – the true belles of the aquatic plant ball.

Tropical Water Lilies have much more spectacular flowers and leaves than hardy Water Lilies. Their highly-fragrant flowers are often quite large and are carried high above the surface of the water. Despite being planted later on in the season, Water Lilies are still in flower late in the autumn so your ornamental ponds will be attractive for longer.

In addition to their beautiful flowers, they also play an important role in the balance of the pond as they are sunshades for fish during the summer, they oxygenate the water by feeding on its nutrients and they are used as shelters by fish larva, as rest-stops by dragonflies and as summer houses by frogs.