2003: Isatis, Giraumon, Asclepias
During the National Heritage Days 2003, the visitors were invited to discover in the garden, opposite to the house, a range of plants that are illustrating some of Niépce’s botanical research (cf. other inventions).
The yellow color of isatis tinctoria (“dyer’s woad”) illuminates the flower garden. Jean-Louis Marignier and Michèle Lourseau collected their blossoms after bloom and managed to extract some milligrams of the famous blue color, which was used to color fabrics.
The giraumon, also known as the “turkish bonnet” (a cucurbit), shows a magnificent color similar to those of gourds: our thanks go to Christine Mahé for her advice on the plantation of the giraumont and to the delicious meals she offered, based on giraumon starch.
Eventually, the syria asclepias (cotton-wool plant): our thanks go to Michel Cambornac of the Laboratoires Yves Rocher (Ethno-botanical and Agronomical Department) for providing us with asclepias seeds.
Thus, for the first time since Niépce’s time, isatis, giraumont and asclepias have been planted again at “Le Gras”.