Gaston Allard

Gaston Isidore Allard (14 April 1838 – 5 January 1918) was a French botanist, entomologist, and founder of The Arboretum Gaston Allard.

Gaston Allard
Gaston Allard, 1863
Born14 April 1838
Angers
Died5 January 1918 (1918-01-06) (aged 79)
Angers
OccupationBotanist, entomologist
Bust of Gaston Allard, from The Arboretum Gaston Allard.

Biography

Allard was born on 14 April 1838.[1] After attending high school, Allard studied under Alexandre Boreau, the director of the jardin des plantes d'Angers.

In 1863, Allard became a member of the Société entomologique de France and voyaged to Algeria, Spain, and Portugal to study Lepidoptera and the regional flora. In 1867, he described the species Kretania martini in Algeria.[2]

After the death of his father, he inherited the family estate and developed the gardens. In 1875, he began to collect oak and conifer trees. He received support from local plant nurseries, and he received seeds and plants from all over the world. In 1885, he dedicated a polyantha rose variant to his father-in-law, named the 'Daniel Lacombe'.[3][4] By 1907, his arboretum contained 2,000 species, including 250 conifers, 125 oaks, and 1,500 shrubs.

From 1892 to 1918, Allard served as a member of the city council of Angers. He was placed in charge of the city's gardens, including the redevelopment of the jardin des plantes d'Angers and of the Jardin du Mail. In 1916, Allard donated his arboretum to the Pasteur Institute. He remained as director.

Allard died on 5 January 1918 in Angers.[5] The botanist Louis Blaringhem, his colleague from the Pasteur Institute, succeeded Allard as arboretum director. His property later became the Muséum des sciences naturelles d'Angers.

References
  1. Extrait de l'acte de naissance No. 98 (vue 30 de 103) du registre du 2 de la commune d'Angers : L'an mil huit cent trente huit, le quatorze avril, à une heure et demie du soir... est comparu Monsieur Isidor Allard, capitaine d'état major, aide de camp du Général, Comte ordenen, commandant la subdivision de Maine et Loire, chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, de saint ferdinand et de Charles Irvin d'Espagne... ; marié le quatre mai mil huit cent trente, à cette mairie, premier arrondissement. Lequel nous a déclaré que Madame Zoé Gontard, son épouse, est accouchée en leur domicile, ce jour, à une heure et demie du matin... donner les prénoms de Gaston = Isidor., en ligne sur le site des Departmental archives of Maine-et-Loire
  2. Allard, G., 1867. Notes sur les Insectes de l'Algérie. Annales de la Société entomologique de France 4(7): 311–322, pl.6.
  3. Pierre du Plouy, Journal des roses, 1898, p. 123.
  4. 'Daniel Lacombe', HelpMeFind.
  5. "Projet d'érection d'un monument à Gaston Allard". Revue horticole : journal des jardiniers et amateurs (in French). Librairie agricole de la maison rustique: 422. 1938. ISSN 0035-3302..
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