Never Against Nature: Thomas Hanbury’s La Mortola

May 2, 1867

On this day, Thomas Hanbury, a man of discerning taste and boundless ambition, purchased a property that would become a testament to his love of nature and his desire to create a horticultural haven on the French Riviera that he called La Mortola.

In 1913, The Botanical Journal shared the story of Thomas and his brother Daniel, describing the moment that Thomas first laid eyes on his future paradise:

It had been the dream of Thomas Hanbury from his early youth to make a garden in a southern climate and to share its pleasures and botanical interests with his favorite brother.

While staying on the Riviera, in the spring of 1867, after many years of strenuous work in the East, he decided to carry out his plan.

He was first inclined to buy Cap Martin, near Mentone, but gave up the idea as soon as he became acquainted with the little cape of La Mortola.

As he first approached it by sea, he was struck by the marvelous beauty of this spot. A house, once the mansion of a noble Genoese family, and at that time, though almost a ruin, known as the Palazzo Orego, stood on a high commanding position.

Above it was the little village, and beyond all rose the mountains.

To the east of the Palazzo were vineyards and olive terraces; to the west, a ravine whose declivities were here and there scantily clothed by Aleppo pines; while on the rocky point, washed by the sea waves, grew the myrtle, to which La Punta della Murtola probably owed its name.

And so, in the balmy embrace of the French Riviera, a botanical dream materialized. By July of the same year, Thomas returned with his brother Daniel, and together they began to transform both the home and the garden.

Thomas's first goal was to get planting, as the property had been ravaged by goats and pilfered by local villagers during its years of abandonment. The brothers went all out when it came to selecting plants, and by 1913, there were over 5,000 different species, including the opuntia or prickly pear cactus, along with incredible succulents (they were truly ahead of their time!).

La Mortola became a sanctuary for the rare and the exquisite. Hanbury's botanical obsession was insatiable, and he sought out specimens that defied the ordinary. His gardens were a testament to his tireless pursuit of horticultural excellence.

A year into their endeavor, they hired a gardener named Ludwig Winter, who stayed for about six years. Tragically, almost a year after Winter's arrival, Daniel passed away. Yet, Thomas found solace in his family, friends, and the gorgeous estate at La Mortola, where he spent the last 28 years of his life. It was a place where he could connect with nature, honor his brother's memory, and continue their shared dream.

As La Mortola's reputation grew, it attracted visitors from far and wide. Hanbury's passion for botany inspired countless others, and his gardens became a source of inspiration for horticultural enthusiasts. The Botanical Journal described the year-round beauty of La Mortola:

The garden is practically never without flowers.

The end of September may be considered the dullest time. Still, as soon as the autumnal rains set in, the flowering begins and continues on an ever-increasing scale until the middle of April or the beginning of May.

Then almost every plant is in flower, the most marked features being the graceful branches of the single yellow Banksian rose, Fortune's yellow rose, the sweet-scented Pittosporum, the wonderful crimson Cantua buxifolia, and the blue spikes of the Canarian Echium.

Thomas went on to found the Botanical Institute at the University of Genoa. The herbarium there was named in his honor; it was called the Institute Hanbury and was commemorated in 1892. As Thomas grew older and the Riviera grew more popular, his property was opened to the public five days a week.

But Thomas knew that even in this lovely growing zone, there were limitations and challenges. It was Thomas Hanbury who wisely said,

Never go against nature.

This philosophy guided his horticultural endeavors, ensuring that La Mortola remained a harmonious blend of human intention and natural wonder. Today, La Mortola stands as a living testament to Thomas Hanbury's vision, a place where the beauty of nature and the passion of a dedicated gardener continue to inspire and delight visitors from around the world.