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Are you a Geneva newcomer, or a long-time resident? Either way, take a moment to stop by for a Flower Clock selfie if it’s been a while!

Created in 1955 to honor Geneva’s watch-making history, the Flower Clock (L’horloge fleurie) is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Located within the Jardin Anglais on Geneva’s rive gauche, you’ll often see crowds of tourists lining up for obligatory selfies. The clock’s flower ‘face’ and hands change their colors four times each year, depending on which plants (up to 12K/display) are in season.

Measuring five meters in diameter, the clock itself is functional and tells the time with Swiss precision (transmitted via satellite). It’s also thought to have the longest second hand in the world at 2.5 meters.

Managed by the city’s Service des espaces verts (SEVE), the Flower Clock is part of a larger strategy to conserve Geneva’s ‘plant heritage and urban flowering.’ By carrying out this mission, the SEVE improves the quality of life of the city’s residents. For more information on the SEVE’s activities, click here.

The Jardin Anglais was created in 1855, 100 years before the addition of the clock. Other landmarks within the garden are the enormous Four Seasons fountain, the Swiss national monument (1869) and several rare trees.

Staying indoors due to COVID-19, or just to avoid the unseasonably cold weather this week? The relaxing video below is the next best thing to an actual stroll through the Jardin Anglais.

We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to learn more about our activities and excursions, visit our website at  http://www.aiwcgeneva.org/