In front of an unassuming building on the Royal Road in Saint Julien d’Hotman, a procession of cabs drops off locals and visitors of all nationalities. At first glance, this may seem like an unlikely sight, but the rest of my visit soon proves otherwise.
The third generation of a family of planters, Selva took over the farm in 1997, with passion in his heart, ideas in his head and his feet firmly planted on the ground. The smile and kindness of the owner guide me on a botanical discovery that begins long before we reach the famous vanilla greenhouses. On either side of the alleyway leading to the hidden gardens, Selva picks and crushes combava and allspice leaves… exhaling their musky fragrance!
During the visit, the man tells me about his childhood in the vegetable garden, the know-how passed on by his father, his passion for fruit plants and vanilla, but also his plans for dill, chervil, tarragon, sage, oregano… rare crops in Mauritius! Selva is curious, daring and adventurous. In diversifying, he has never deviated from traditional practices: no machines, no chemicals, no pesticides. 100% organic cultivation and vegetable compost fertilizer.
Find out all about the precious orchid, its nodes, buds and pods; the vanilla flowering, pollination and ripening process; the huge permaculture greenhouse housing, among other things, edible flowers and incredible salads, fertilized with fish excrement; homemade jams and other artisanally processed products… take a stroll around this singular place, meet Selva in his cooperative and say hello for me!
Tel: 5754 7863 / 416 9269
