Benoit Cormier, 40 years old, head of the garden service in the town of Champagné (Sarthe), accompanied by his five deputies, is smiling. They have every reason to be satisfied because they have just won two awards for their work.
Indeed, on October 15, 2024, Sarthe Tourisme and the Sarthe departmental council have just awarded the municipality the first prize of the jury in the category “Landscapes of our flowery towns and villages, green schools”. The Region has also awarded the “Villages and towns 2” labele flower” with a distinction at the gardener’s prize. These rewards are not the result of chance but rather the result of a constant search for the ecological management of green spaces, somewhat overturning the prejudices relating to municipal flowers.
Change habits
“We are in an experimental process whose aim is to save water by doing without phytosanitary products to respect our soil. For example, we put fewer water-intensive containers or planters and favor species such as perennials or more economical ground covers. Likewise, we are full of ideas for revitalizing the soil and thus limiting weeding, particularly in the cemetery,” explains Benoit Cormier. The team, with the blessing of the municipality, also aware of the ecological concern and the anticipated savings, is testing cuttings or new plantings in its greenhouses. “The elected officials clearly understood the interest of our work. We need to find alternatives to photo treatments so as not to suffer from the colonization of weeds and make the town even more attractive and dynamic,” continues the head of the Champagné garden service
Changing the image of municipal agents
The entire team of six gardeners is fully involved in this concept and shares the same values and each has their own sectors and specialties. “Our profession as municipal landscaper has evolved a lot, some of us hold exams such as BTS or Bac Pro. The Epinal image of the leaf collector is a little overused and our ambitions and knowledge go well beyond that. concludes Benoit Cormier
