Everything started in 1995, when Marie and Alain de Larouzière who just became the owners of The Mas de la Brune, decided to re-cultivate the abandonned fields close to the Hotel. They created an 'ephemeral garden' flourished from june to mid-september.

In this magical and preserved site, Le Mas de la Brune that build during the French Renaissance (1572) by Pierre Isnard, hides in its architecture a large figure of alchemical symbols (biblical, chemical, astral and even pagan). Their studies has inspired the theme of the Garden of the Alchimist.

Alain and Marie de Larouzière met Arnaud Maurieres et Eric Ossart, 2 well-known French garden designers. They were just openning their nown butterfly garden in Cores-sur-ciel. With their advice and the help of the students of the 'Ecole du Jardin et des Paysages de Grasse', the Garden of the Alchemist is invented and created.

Le Jardin de l'Alchimiste tries to evocate with the means of the gerdener (colors, shapes, soils, plants and figures), the quest of the alchimists in their research of the philosophal stone. To transmute Lead into Gold was the dream of these wise men.
 
Their quest consisted in 3 main steps called the 3 Works : the black Work, the white Work, and at the end the red Work or "great Work". This material study was supposed to allow the Alchemist to owe infinite amounts of the precious metal, and to complete a metaphysical and spiritual path to the ultimate knowledge.

The association Hortus was created in 2000 to organize, with the friends of Le Mas de la Brune and of Le Jardin de l'Alchimiste, cultural events called "Les Riches Heures du Jardin de l'Alchimiste" (The Rich Hours).
 

The association organises conferences about Plants of the Middle-Age in the mediterranean landscapean other related topics.