The Jardin anglais

History and development

The Jardin anglais was reclaimed entirely from the lake through a series of backfills following the destruction of the fortifications in the 1850s, when the first bridge overlooking the lake was the Pont des Bergues. The garden has witnessed first-hand how the bay changed at the end of the 19th century. The monumental Four Seasons fountain already stood in all its splendour in the middle of the park when the Pont du Mont-Blanc was built in 1862. In 1869, the National Monument was inaugurated. The Jardin anglais continued to be expanded and modified over time. The first of the city’s parks to be designed “à l’anglaise”, with curved paths and trees planted without any particular alignment, “la Promenade du Lac” – as it was originally called – became “le Jardin Anglais”. In 1955, the park was embellished with the Horloge fleurie, which quickly became the most frequently photographed monument in Geneva.

The Jardin anglais is home to several hundred-year-old trees, such as a ginkgo planted in 1863 and a red beech planted in 1895 for the National Exhibition. An exceptional western red cedar, a magnolia grandiflora, a number of horse chestnuts, a tulip tree, an imperial paulownia and several other species complete the magic of the site.

Amenities

The monumental Four Seasons fountain is the beating heart of the Jardin anglais. On a line running parallel to the lake and the Hotel Métropole, it is aligned with the restaurant, the bandstand and a small, countrified pavilion.

Ecological management

The City’s parks and gardens are managed ecologically without any chemical products being used. The Horloge fleurie is no exception, as the thousands of bedding plants are grown and maintained by natural means.