Cover the Eiffel Tower in Plants? Not Today, Anyway


Grant Matthews, Flickr Creative Commons

A four-year, 74-million Euro plan to cover the 1,000-foot-tall Eiffel Tower in plants apparently isn鈥檛 happening. At least not now, according to a report from the quoting a statement from Paris City Hall.

In late November, French newspaper that the 122-year-old monument would become the world鈥檚 largest tree, courtesy of green-engineering firm Ginger. 鈥淏eginning in June 2012, the most famous landmark in the world will be decked out in 600,000 plants for up to four years,鈥 the article reads. 鈥淚n this way, this Parisian icon will now become a blooming symbol of France鈥檚 commitment to the environment.鈥 The hanging garden was to emblemize and become part of the country鈥檚 push toward greener practices and environmental awareness.

But as of yet, the Parisian government denies any such plans. 鈥淭here is no project of this nature in preparation,鈥 said SETE, the organization that manages the Eiffel Tower, in a statement.

It鈥檚 too bad, really. Picture what the landmark would look like dripping with plant-filled burlap bags hanging from hemp rope鈥378 tons of greenery suspended high above Paris. According to , the seedlings would have been cultivated between now and next June, when they鈥檇 be placed on the tower. There they鈥檇 remain until June 2016. Twelve tons of rubber hoses would have kept the plants watered. Quite a stunning idea.

鈥淪hould it not be the duty of engineers to imagine a new future where nature is brought back into the heart of the city?鈥 the firm, Ginger, said in a statement. Frankly鈥攁nd this is just my opinion鈥攊t鈥檇 be pretty great to live in a world where we 鈥減lantify鈥 or 鈥渧egetalize鈥 (or whatever else we want to call it) a landmark like that.