Tenure as Director of the Garden (1775 – 1810)
Nicholas Céré was a botanist, born in Pamplemousses, Mauritius in Belle Eau, a neighbouring estate of Mon Plaisir. Since a young age, Céré befriended other botanists namely Joseph Charpentier de Cossigny de Palma and Pierre Poivre who shared their knowledge of plants with him.
After the departure of Pierre Poivre from Isle de France, Nicholas Céré was appointed Director of Le Jardin du Roy in 1775. He furthered the spice, medicinal and ornamental cultivations and planted the big alleys of the gardens with Palms that acted as wind breakers from cyclonic winds.
In 1776, Céré witnessed the first flowering of the clove trees planted by Pierre Poivre. In 1778 Céré also witnessed the first harvest of the Nutmeg fruit, also planted by Pierre Poivre.
In 1785, Céré estimated that some 3,000 visitors came to the Garden and there was so much interest in the plants that he felt obliged to produce a catalogue detailing the 600 plant species brought from all over the world. Many of those plants were distributed around the island and even exported to Réunion (Bourbon) and as far away as the Caribbeans.
Céré occupied the position Director of Le Jardin du Roy until his death in 1810. He devoted his life and personal fortune to the Garden. As a result of the work of Poivre and Céré, Pamplemousses became well-known to leading naturalists and acquired the worldwide fame it has since retained.
Céré’s son, Jean-Auguste Céré (1764 -1831) took over the management of the Garden from 1810 to 1812. He was second in command until 1823.