The inauguration of the 2nd edition of the Festival of Gardens of the French Riviera took place this Saturday morning at Albert I Garden. Eric Ciotti, architect Jean Mus, the host of “Silence, ça pousse!” Stéphane Marie, and the patron of this second edition, Marina Picasso, honored us with their presence.
“Dreams of the Mediterranean,” is the theme of the Festival of Gardens of the French Riviera. The event is an opportunity to discover the noble art of Azorean gardening. “I am proud to have launched this major cultural event which was a great success right from its first edition in 2017,” expressed Eric Ciotti during his speech.
Jean Mus, Marina Picasso, Eric Ciotti accompanied by various departmental officials walk through the ephemeral gardens or masterpieces that blend art and nature. In total, 15 open-air ephemeral gardens are in competition. The cities of Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Grasse, and Menton are each hosting three gardens. This is five more than in the first edition.
A prestigious competition
The competition consists of three prestigious juries, including the official jury chaired by Marina Picasso, the national and international press jury, as well as the professional landscape industry jury. A prize will also be awarded by GREEN DEAL for the most eco-friendly garden.
Indeed, the festival is concerned with the environmental aspect with the creation of eight ephemeral gardens “faithful to sustainable development,” Eric Ciotti explains.
A patron with the colors of the French Riviera
Granddaughter of the master painter, Marina Picasso is this year’s patron of the Festival of Gardens, succeeding Julie Depardieu in 2017. Residing in Cannes, she has made a strong impression by leading solidarity actions in the Alpes-Maritimes, such as supporting the Lenval Foundation or creating the house for adolescents set up in Nice.
Marina Picasso is part of the festival’s jury. She represents a great asset for distinguishing the artists participating in the grand Landscape Creation Contest this weekend.
The first edition hosted nearly 450,000 visitors throughout the duration of the festival. This year, from March 30 to April 28, the gardens and their creators await young and old to dive into an incredible floral universe together.
