The Princess Grace Rose Garden celebrates its 40th anniversary

S.A.R. la Princesse de Hanovre et S.A.S. le Prince Albert II de Monaco ©Direction de la Communication – Manuel Vitali

On Friday 3 May, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover took part in festivities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Princess Grace Rose Garden, in the presence of H.E. Mr Pierre Dartout, Minister of State of the Principality of Monaco; Ms Céline Caron-Dagioni, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development; representatives of the Prince’s Government, the National Council, Monaco City Hall and the Friends of the Princess Grace Rose Garden Association, chaired by Mr Yves Piaget.

The event included a visit to the rose garden and the photo exhibition on its history, retracing the different stages of the garden’s creation; a visit of the rose bushes in competition for the 7th International Rose Trials; and activities based on the five senses for children attending the Prince Albert II Leisure Centre such as repotting, a treasure hunt through the section of the rose garden with flowers named after members of the Royal Family, and a presentation stand hosted by Maison Florian, a company specialised in rose petal confits and other sweets.

Visite de la Roseraie Princesse Grace ©Direction de la Communication – Manuel Vitali

The event closed with the unveiling of a rose-tipped green wall in the shape of the number 40 to celebrate the anniversary of the rose garden, created by Prince Rainier III in 1984 in memory of Princess Grace.

This “photocall” wall will remain in place until January 2025 and monthly events* are scheduled throughout the anniversary year.
The general public can learn more about the life cycle of a rose bush, from potting to pruning; try the treasure hunt; taste the sweets of Maison Florian; take part in the International Rose Trials by voting on the Facebook page (until 16 June 2024), and discover the history of the colourful, fragranced garden with guided tours given by gardeners at the Department of Urban Amenities (DAU)**.

For more information, visit the website of the Princess Grace Rose Garden:
https ://roseraie.mc/ 

* The first monthly event: 1 and 2 June 2024, for “See You at the Gardens”. More details to come.

** Guided tours of the rose garden: free, with no need to book, every Wednesday at 10 am. Meet at the fountain

Information about the Princess Grace Rose Garden:

Célébration des 40 ans de la Roseraie Princesse Grace ©Direction de la Communication – Manuel Vitali

Located in the heart of the Fontvieille district, the rose garden has the look of an English garden with its curves and tree-lined flower beds, while its rosebushes, which climb up centuries-old olive trees, give it a Mediterranean signature.

At the centre of the rose garden stands a bronze statue of Princess Grace, sculpted by Kees Verkade in 1983.

When the rose garden opened on 18 June 1984, it was planted with 4,000 rose bushes spread over an area of 3,000 square metres. Nearly 50 donors from around the world contributed to the creation of the garden by offering their most beautiful plants. In total, 168 varieties of roses from eight different genera are planted: large-flowered, climbing, weeping, miniatures, trees, floribundas, botanicals and polyanthas.

In 2000, major renovation work was carried out to expand the garden to 3,500 square metres with a collection of 5,500 rose plants.

For the garden’s 30th anniversary, the Department of Urban Amenities led a new project to further extend and update the space with support of the PIAGET Factory.

As a result, the rose garden is now longer enclosed by a hedge or closed at night, so visitors can access it at any time. Two majestic gates adorned with Princess Grace’s monogram were conserved, however, as a part of the garden’s history, as was the Kees Verkade sculpture.
Modern touches include the installation of a water wall and bronze fountain which adds activity and much-needed coolness during the summer.

The rose garden is managed by the Gardens Section of the Department of Urban Amenities (since 2012) with assistance and technical support from Mr Meilland and Mr Meylan.
An environmentally responsible approach guides the garden’s management: water use is controlled, waste water is recycled, and no chemical pesticides are used – auxiliaries such as lady birds are used to fight pests.
Thanks to these stringent efforts, the rose garden was awarded Espace Végétal Ecologique (EVE) certification from the international organisation Ecocert Environnement.

Gardener teams at the Princess Grace Rose Garden are responsible for:
- the annual refurbishment of the rose bush beds,
- upkeep of the rose garden,
- activities at the site (guided tours, school trips, etc.),
- preparation of the site for the competition and planting of rose bushes.