Henri Cayeux, a lesser known horticultural figure who served the pre-war gardens of Le Havre

Henri Cayeux (1869-1963) was one of the leading French plant breeders during the first half of the 20th century and was in charge of the parks and gardens of Le Havre over the same period. Originally from Somme, he studied at the ENSH (Horticultural School) in Versailles, to become a horticultural engineer. After a time at the head of the botanical gardens of the Escola Politécnica (Engineering School) in Lisbon from 1892 to 1919, he took over the management of the parks, gardens and promenades of the town of Le Havre up to 1935. Heir to an ageing department and environmental legacy, he devoted his time to renovating them and to embellishing the town thanks to his great command of flowering, whilst creating new public gardens. Concurrently, he created over 200 plant varieties, among which a range of hydrangeas, which remain his finest accomplishments, the ‘Merveille’ variety in particular. This conference offers an opportunity to discover this lesser known figure of French horticulture and life in Le Havre in the pre-war period.

A qualified agronomer, Albéric Levain is a territorial engineer, in charge of the heritage—urban landscape department for the Le Havre town council’s green spaces directorate. He is 35 years old.