The horloge fleurie

The most famous of all clocks in Geneva is unquestionably the horloge fleurie in the Jardin anglais. As emblematic of the city as the jet d’eau and snapped by the cameras of the numerous tourists, the horloge fleurie is a perfect combination of clockmaking know-how and horticultural skill. Created in 1955, it is a global reference point and was renovated in May 2017.

A new floral concept consisting of more than 12,000 plants was meticulously installed by the carpet-breeding experts of the City of Geneva’s Parks and Gardens Department. The installation includes a watering system, essential to the survival of the plants as they are fully exposed to the sun.

New hands, boasting an elegant design similar to the original ones, were made and generously offered to the City by the company Patek Philippe. The 2.5-metre-long second hand is doubtless the largest in the world. The time is set electronically by satellite.

Five floral decorations every year

To ensure that the plants flower in accordance with each season, the clock’s floral decoration is renewed five times a year:

summer, from May to October: planting of alternantheras and begonias, ideal for carpet-breeding;
autumn, from October to mid-November: planting of chrysanthemums;
winter, from November to March: planting of pansies;

and twice in spring:

in March: planting of primroses;
April to mid-May: planting of pansies.

Maintenance

To protect the horloge fleurie against acts of vandalism, an alarm mechanism has also been installed. It is linked directly to an incident response unit.

The gardeners tend to the horloge fleurie every week to maintain and repair it. The site is therefore also under close surveillance from a horticultural point of view.

All the plants comprising the horloge fleurie are produced in the horticultural production centre of the City of Geneva’s Parks and Gardens Department and bear the label 'Genève Région - Terre avenir'.