Anyone who thought that the splendour of hollyhocks in the streets of this city or the medicinal and poisonous plants along the railway tracks in District 5 were the result of nature reclaiming its territory would be mistaken. Behind the floral splendour on Bahnhofstrasse, Hardplatz and many other streets and squares in this city is an unrecognised gardener.
Since 1984, Maurice Maggi has been sowing mallows in public spaces in the city of Zurich. The flowers, also known as “peasant roses”, are beautifying the city in ever-increasing numbers. Maurice Maggi, a trained gardener and practising chef, calls his secret interventions in urban spaces “flower graffiti”. Until recently, these were combated by the City of Zurich’s horticultural department, which recognised the mallows as weeds and pulled them up.
In the exhibition at the message salon, Maurice Maggi is revealing the concept behind his sowing in public spaces to the public for the first time. In sketches, notes, city maps and photos, Maurice Maggi documents his experiments with rare native plants in urban areas, explaining where which plants bloom and the science and years of observation behind them. In spring, Maurice Maggi was once again active in the city in preparation for the exhibition, drawing experimental new plant trails. By summer, over 30 different protected plants, separated by colour, and small fields of opium poppies are expected to be in bloom.
A city map in the exhibition shows the flower trails so that visitors can follow the flower trail on their own and see the cityscape and its nature in a new light. The vernissage at the message salon will take place on the night of the full moon, 2 July. Maurice Maggi hopes that the flowers will be in particularly beautiful bloom then …