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20 RIVIERA GARDENS

GARDENS OF THE CÔTE D'AZUR

This April, the region will celebrate the very first Festival des Jardins 171INSIDER_20_22.qxp_Mise en page 1 20/02/2017 17:53 Page21

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Gardens are part of the unique fabric of the Côte d'Azur. In an interview with renowned designer Jean Mus, Riviera Insider explores the changing landscape of gardening over the last few decades.

By AILA STÖCKMANN & ELSA CARPENTER

s a source of happiness amid hectic, everyday life, gardens continue to play a very important role in our A lives. Jean Mus, the most famous active gardener of the Côte d’Azur, gets his hands dirty whenever a new public building or a luxury hotel summons him to sup - plement the urban with the green. For many years now, Mus has also worked with countless British and other northern European clients who call on him to create the gardens of their dreams in the south of “I NEVER DO THE . SAME THING The Côte d’Azur, as we know it today, simply couldn’t have existed without its gardens. In the 19th century, TWICE” it was the lush and exotic vegetation that attracted Jean Mus the wealthy, foreign tourists to this strip of land bet - ween coast and mountains. Even in winter, it bloomed with rich green tones and colourful floral blossoms. Before long, English gardeners were settling here, set - ting up great parks and estates that played to the ad - vantage of the region’s natural conditions. Shrubs and trees from across the world were introduced and found a generous, nourishing home in the Riviera’s cli - mate. The plant life here has lost none of its appeal; nearly one million visitors tour the public and private gardens of the Alpes-Maritimes each year. In 2017, the tourism potential of these gardens is to be exercised more than ever before with the very first edition of the Festival des Jardins. Throughout the month of April, just as the spring season is getting into full swing, events will be taking place throughout the region. The highlight of the festival: the creation of ten show gardens in the five cities on the Côte d’Azur. This is where Mus comes back into the picture. As the president of the newly created festival, Jean and his jury of internationally acclaimed garden architects and landscape professionals will select ten young garde - Far left photo ners. These winners will be demonstrating their flair THE PRESIDENT OF THE and creativity from 25th March in the gardens of the JURY FOR THE NEW FESTI - VAL, JEAN MUS, IS PICTU - Villa Fragonard (), Villa Rothschild (), Jar - RED WITH STEPHANIE din Biovès (), Pinède Gould ( Juan-les- KNOBLICH © D.R. Pins) and Jardin Albert Ier (). Photos “What constitutes the perfect garden?” Riviera Insider THE WORK OF THE RE - asks the man who has designed 1,500 gardens around NOWNED DESIGNER © AS the world. 171INSIDER_20_22.qxp_Mise en page 1 20/02/2017 17:53 Page22

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“One that inspires emotion,” says the energetic gen - tleman, “one that arouses all five senses.” He speaks of the sounds of a breeze rustling through bamboo or a water feature drowning out the noise of a street. “All PUBLIC of this has an effect on the psyche.” Everything must come together: the location, the soil, GARDENS the preferences of the clients, the ideas of the land - scape architect… “It’s almost a kind of love story.” To - 80 remarkable public gether with his clients, Mus selects the greenery that will feature in the garden, but he is merely the director gardens and 17 parks following the rules of the plants. “Mother Nature is the await you boss, she always has the last word. There is no chea - ting her.” From Karl Lagerfeld’s private villa and the Monte Carlo Antibes Musée Fragonard, Villa Jardin du Vinaigrier, Parc Bay Hotel in Monaco to the elegant Domaine de Terre Villa Thuret, Parc Explora, Noailles, Domaine de de la Clua - Dr. Jean Blanche in the Var, Mus’ expertise is indispensable to Villa Eilenroc, Fort Carré Manon, Villa Fort France, Guillaud, Parc du Castel the glamourous addresses of the south of France. In Villa La Mouissone, Mas des deux Rois, in the hills above Grasse, he employs 12 full- Beaulieu des Pivoines, Domaine Observatory of Nice, time landscape gardeners. Six languages are spoken Villa Kérylos Saint-Jacques du Jardin du Monastère, among them; French Mus is a master of English and, Couloubrier, Domaine de Jardin des Arènes de if need be, German. Beausoleil la Royrie Cimiez, Villa Arson, Palais His two icons are Englishman Russell Page and Ger - The Winter Garden of Masséna, Chagall man-born Ferdinand Bach, who have both left their Riviera Palace Museum, MAMAC, mark on the Côte d’Azur in the last century. Inspiration Villa de l’Argelière Matisse Museum, Il yes, copying no. Mus is original: “I never do the same Biot Paradisio thing twice.” For him, it is today that counts, yesterday Fernand Léger Museum, Mandelieu-La Napoule is passé. Bonsai Arboretum Château de la Napoule He observes that cities are attaching more impor - Au pays d’Audrey tance to gardens in the modern day, even shopping Cagnes-sur-Mer Menton centres note their value. Domaine Renoir, Marro Villa Maria Séréna, Serre Roure This trend has now been followed by the Department Property de la Madone, Fontana Arboretum Marcel of the Alpes-Maritimes, which wants to direct the at - Rosa, Botanical Gardens Kroenlein tention of its visitors to the parks and green spaces Cannes of Val Rahmeh, Palais de throughout April. From classified gardens - jardins re - Villa Domergue, Villa Carnolès, Biovès, Clos du Sainte-Agnès marquables - to parks, monasteries, courtyards and Rothschild, Lérins Islands Peyronnet, Colombières, Medieval garden gardens of museums, oasis in hotels and private La Citronneraie spaces, all are a wonder and can be appreciated by all, Cap d’Ail Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat not just botanical experts. Sacha Guitry, Château des Monaco Villa Ephrussi de For this edition of Riviera Insider, we have toured some Terrasses, Douaniers Exotic garden, Japanese Rothschild of the most prestigious gardens in the south of France garden, La Roseraie, Parc and in . You’ll discover stately homes here in Châteauneuf-de-Grasse de Fontvieille, Jardin de la Saint-Paul-de- France, while over the border, we will transport you to Villa La Bouscarella Petite Afrique, Saint- Fondation Maeght the famous Giardini Hanbury and the many estates Martin inspired by the masterful English gardener Thomas Hanbury. Vallon du Brec Mouans-Sartoux Monastery gardens Countless other gardens and parks await you this Château de Mouans- spring, head outdoors and wonder (and wander!) in Eze Sartoux, Gardens of the Tourrettes-sur-Loup their splendour…  Exotic Garden International Museum of Bastide aux Violettes, Perfume Florian’s Citrus Gardens Gattières Fleurs de Poterie Mougins -Golfe-Juan Etang de Fontmerle Le Nérolium Gourdon Château gardens, La Nice Source Parfumé Promenade du Paillon, Jardin Albert Ier, Parc Grasse Vigier, Parc Chambrun, Gardens of the Mont Boron, Colline du International Museum of Château, Parc Phoenix, Perfume, gardens of the Parc d’Estienne d’Orves,