2012 is an important year for just about everyone: here in the U.S. it’s an election year; for those adhering to the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, 2012 is the end of a “great cycle,” or “doomsday” as some like to call it; and for the Chinese, it is the auspicious Year of the Dragon. While the above have all received generous media attention, there is one major event coming this year that you probably haven’t heard about unless you’re a devoted horticulturist: Floriade 2012. In the case that you are a diehard gardener, then you’ve probably been waiting patiently for this horticultural expo that only comes around once every ten years. Well, this is your year! From April 5th to October 7th, Venlo, the Netherlands, will be hosting this massive flower and garden exhibition with the theme “Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life.”
The Floriade World Horticultural Expo was first held in 1960 and has since taken place roughly every ten years in different locations throughout the Netherlands. Like all expos, Floriade is an opportunity for the Netherlands to showcase their unique contributions to the world. Naturally you’ll see plenty of flowers at the expo, but it also touches on many other aspects of horticultural such as technology and social issues. Those horticulturists also know how to have fun! The six-month-long festival is jam packed with all sorts of entertainment such as musical performances, light shows, and open-air film screenings.
The event sprawls over 66 hectares, 40 of which are dedicated show grounds. The exhibits are divided up into five different theme worlds which are separated by wooded areas. This year’s themed areas are: Relax and Heal, Green Engine, Education and Innovation, Environment, and World Stage Show. Each area is designed to immerse you in the theme, rather than just let you walk passively past booths. For example, the Relax and Heal world has a “spa-like ambience” to enhance the exhibitors’ focus on the relationship between nature and our health. While visiting this theme world, you can stroll along a barefoot path, participate in tea rituals, and sample from a wide variety of healing herbs.
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