At the heart of Monaco’s 2025 designation as the World Capital of Sport, the Principality’s Direction de l’Aménagement Urbain (DAU) has unveiled a series of breathtaking floral structures. These living sculptures—ranging from life-size Formula 1 cars to tennis balls, a basketball, rugby balls and gymnastic clubs—blend botanical mastery with sporting symbolism, creating an unforgettable visual tribute to Monaco’s active year.
From late 2024, eight dedicated agents at the Saint-Laurent-d’Éze nursery undertook an ambitious programme: sowing 12,000 begonias, propagating 850 Ajuga cuttings, transplanting 10,000 seedlings and planting 8,000 blooms. Over approximately 400 hours, each sculpture was painstakingly assembled: the process included painting, moss and sphagnum placement, cutting and regular care to ensure each figure flourished. The result can now be admired across multiple public garden beds in the Principality.
Fusing sport, art and public engagement in civic spaces
Each installation is accompanied by explanatory panels about the sporting discipline it represents. Far beyond mere decoration, these works enhance Monaco’s public realm with living art and engage both residents and tourists in the narrative of sport. They serve as a poetic embodiment of the spirit of Monaco Capitale Mondiale du Sport 2025, showcasing the DAU’s commitment to horticultural excellence and civic pride.
A symbolic highlight in Monaco’s 2025 sporting calendar
As Monaco was officially declared the 2025 World Capital of Sport in December, the floral structures now stand as a vibrant corollary to that honour. Their unveiling follows a series of landmark sporting events—including the Monte-Carlo Rally in January and the Herculis EBS Diamond League meeting on 11th July—marking 2025 as a year of athletic and cultural prominence.
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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communications Department