“What is so special about a rose that makes it so much more than a flower? Perhaps the mystery that grows in it over time, or the joy it can bring,” asked Princess Grace about the flower that fascinated her. In memory of his spouse and her passion for roses, Prince Rainier commissioned a rose garden in 1984 in the Fontvieille park, built on the Mediterranean Sea.
The fragrant garden is now home to 387 varieties of roses, planted on more than 5,000 square metres (the garden had 168 varieties when it opened). At the time, nearly fifty donors from around the world contributed their finest creations.
Prince Rainier III’s idea was to build a rose garden on the edge of a four-hectare landscaped park in the heart of the city; a meandering English garden of flower beds surrounded by green lawns and centuries-old olive trees. The garden, at the centre of which presides a bronze statue of Princess Grace by the sculptor Kees Verkade, is home to trees and bushes from around the world, including Maple from Korea and Phlomis from Asia Minor.
The roses are arranged according to six themes: roses of the Royal Family of Monaco; roses selected for their beauty and the intensity of their fragrance; roses that represent the history of Princes and Princesses; botanical and collector roses; landscaping shrub roses and climbing roses. The garden is also home to new breeds that have received medals in international rose competitions. Every year, the International Rose Trials are held in Monaco to recognise varieties obtained by breeders from around the world.
Creations found in the garden include the Princess Charlène and Gabriella of Monaco roses and varieties named after Brigitte Bardot, Edith Piaf, Claude Monet and Louis de Funès.
Visitors to the Princess Grace Rose Garden, which was renovated and enlarged in 2014, can consult an interactive terminal and flash a QR code to obtain a detailed list of each rose bush.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden is committed to the environment. Surface water is collected and stored in tanks to be re-used in the automatic drip-watering system of the rose bushes. No chemicals are used in the garden, and the lawn – a source of excessive water consumption – has been removed.
Find out more: https://roseraie.mc
