Paris Passes Law That Allows Residents to Plant Urban Gardens All Over the City

A Green Paris

With its beautiful gardens, plant-draped balconies, and florists in every quartier, Paris is an undeniably flower-friendly city—and it’s about to get even greener.

Thanks to a recent initiative, members of the Parisian public are now entitled—and even encouraged—to plant and maintain their own urban gardens. The plant-y proposal has popped up amid Mayor Hidalgo’s determination to introduce 100 hectares of green space to the city by 2020. Interested (and hopefully green-thumbed) residents will receive renewable three-year-permits that enable them to grow anything from fruit and vegetables to flowers and plants (namely, local honey plants).

While typical flowerbeds and traditional potted plants are entirely acceptable, the proposal prompts people to get creative; living walls and rooftop gardens are only a couple of creative suggestions offered by the city. Though the verdant possibilities are endless, the initiative does have its guidelines: the flora must by cultivated using sustainable methods (no pesticides!) and intended as a means to improve the aesthetic of the city. With an innate interest in promoting both a greener metropolis and a stronger and more united community, the new initiative truly is the perfect grassroots campaign.

Living Walls Of Paris

Typical Flower Beds In The City of Paris

Urban Gardens For Strong Parisian Community

Rooftop Gardens In Paris

Cultivate A Green Metropolis In Paris

Creative Traditional Potted Plants In Paris

The Flower Friendly City Of Paris

via [InhabitatLa Relève et La Peste]

Images via Patrick Blanc and Christophe Noël and Jean-Pierre Viguié/Mairie de Paris.

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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