Arboretum Vilmorin

[[File:Arboretum_Vilmorin.JPG | thumb | right | Arboretum Vilmorin]]The '''Arboretum Vilmorin''' (4 hectares) is a private [[arboretum]] located at 2 rue d'Estienne d'Orves, [[Verrières-le-Buisson]], [[Essonne]], [[Île-de-France (region)|Île-de-France]], [[France]]. It is open by appointment only.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} A newer portion of the family arboretum was acquired by the municipality in 1975, and is now open to the public as the [[Arboretum municipal de Verrières-le-Buisson]].

[[File:Arboretum_Vilmorin.JPG | thumb | right | Arboretum Vilmorin]]The '''Arboretum Vilmorin''' (4 hectares) is a private [[arboretum]] located at 2 rue d'Estienne d'Orves, [[Verrières-le-Buisson]], [[Essonne]], [[Île-de-France (region)|Île-de-France]], [[France]]. It is open by appointment only.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} A newer portion of the family arboretum was acquired by the municipality in 1975, and is now open to the public as the [[Arboretum municipal de Verrières-le-Buisson]].

The arboretum is located on the site of a former hunting lodge of [[Louis XIV of France]], acquired in 1815 by [[Philippe-André de Vilmorin]] (1776-1862), who also began today's [[Arboretum national des Barres]] in 1821.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} He transformed the lodge's grounds into a collection of trees and shrubs from around the world as missionaries and explorers sent specimens from the [[Far East]], [[United States|America]], [[North Africa]], [[Siberia]], and the [[Caucasus]]. Plans for the arboretum walls are attributed to [[André Le Nôtre]].

The arboretum is located on the site of a former hunting lodge of [[Louis XIV]], acquired in 1815 by [[Philippe-André de Vilmorin]] (1776-1862), who also began today's [[Arboretum national des Barres]] in 1821.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} He transformed the lodge's grounds into a collection of trees and shrubs from around the world as missionaries and explorers sent specimens from the [[Far East]], [[United States|America]], [[North Africa]], [[Siberia]], and the [[Caucasus]]. Plans for the arboretum walls are attributed to [[André Le Nôtre]].

Today's arboretum has been tended by seven generations of the Vilmorin family, assisted in recent years by a scientific committee. At present the arboretum contains some 2,280 identified species, with major collections of [[Maple|Acer]], [[Berberis]], [[Deutzia]], [[Euonymus]], [[Malus]], [[Lonicera]], [[Philadelphus]], [[Quercus]], and [[Rhododendron]]. Specimens of interest include ''[[Carya buckleyi]]'', ''[[Cedrus libani]]'', ''[[Chionanthus retusus]]'', ''[[Halesia diptera]]'', ''[[Juglans x intermedia]]'', ''[[Parrotia persica]]'', ''[[Pinus bungeana]]'', ''[[Pseudolarix amabilis]]'', ''[[Quercus persica]]'', ''[[Sorbus torminalis]]'', ''[[Taxodium ascendens]]'', and ''[[Torreya grandis]]''.

Today's arboretum has been tended by seven generations of the Vilmorin family, assisted in recent years by a scientific committee. At present the arboretum contains some 2,280 identified species, with major collections of [[Maple|Acer]], [[Berberis]], [[Deutzia]], [[Euonymus]], [[Malus]], [[Lonicera]], [[Philadelphus]], [[Quercus]], and [[Rhododendron]]. Specimens of interest include ''[[Carya buckleyi]]'', ''[[Cedrus libani]]'', ''[[Chionanthus retusus]]'', ''[[Halesia diptera]]'', ''[[Juglans x intermedia]]'', ''[[Parrotia persica]]'', ''[[Pinus bungeana]]'', ''[[Pseudolarix amabilis]]'', ''[[Quercus persica]]'', ''[[Sorbus torminalis]]'', ''[[Taxodium ascendens]]'', and ''[[Torreya grandis]]''.