Delivery times: 1 month

With this collection of herbariums, the Palace of Versailles showcases its plant heritage, a witness to the history of the Domain. The leaves are carefully selected, hand-picked and pressed for drying in Herbarium’s workshops in Paris. 

Available for pre-order now, the herbariums can be purchased with or without a frame and are made to order by the herbamakers at Herbarium.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION

Small-leaved lime, or Tilia cordata, is the most common tree species in France. The earliest specimens were probably planted in 1540 for Diane de Poitiers at the Château of Anet. In 1767, the garden treatise of Dezallier d’Argenville affirmed that it was one of the most popular species for alleys and groves, something that was later confirmed by Du Breuil one hundred years later. 

Lime tree blossom can be used to produce sweet nectars, infusions and honeys, which were recommended to treat nervous disorders in the Middle Ages. For this reason, limes were often planted near hospitals.

Another name for the lime tree is linden, which comes from the Old English for “made of lime wood”. Indeed, its light and flexible wood was used to make Roman spears and it is the material of traditional piano keys, which are then covered with an ivory veneer.

CARE

The colour of the leaves will change naturally over time as part of the charm and poetic character of genuine herbariums. To preserve your herbarium in the best conditions, avoid direct contact with UV rays and display it in a room free from damp.