The resigning Prime Minister honoured this tradition, which has persisted for nearly 50 years, in a small group on Monday evening. He chose to leave a cinnamon maple, known for its slow growth, in the gardens.
He will not have deviated from the rule. The resigning Prime Minister Gabriel Attal planted a tree in the gardens of Matignon on the night of Monday to Tuesday, it has been learned The Figaroconfirming information from the ParisianThis tradition, established in 1978 by Raymond Barre, allows each prime minister to plant, after six months in office, a shrub in the gardens of the official residence of the head of government.
Gabriel Attal did it in extremis during a small ceremony. Such an event is normally closely scrutinized by the press, which invades the gardens of Matignon. But the Prime Minister, who resigned 49 days ago, simply surrounded himself with members of his cabinet, Matignon staff and several ministers, who were informed that very morning.
A cinnamon maple
The youngest prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic chose to plant a cinnamon maple, which is distinguished from other maples by the brown of its bark. It is also known for its slow growth. Gabriel Attal’s predecessor had chosen a holm oak. The 1.80m tree had grown semi-spontaneously in the gardens, says Philippe Joly, head gardener at Matignon in an interview for info.gouv.fr. Élisabeth Borne had then replanted it in a more suitable location.
In total, 18 trees have been planted by the prime ministers of the Fifth Republic. Since the establishment of this tradition under Raymond Barre, only Jacques Chirac has deviated from it. During his first term (1974-1976), the ceremony did not yet exist, but during the second (1986-1988), the reason why he did not honor this custom remains a mystery according to the head gardener. The one who later became president had nevertheless planted rose bushes in the gardens of Matignon.
