FCI May - ROYAL RECOGNITION

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MAY 2022

G R E E N T E C H A M S T E R DA M 2 0 2 2

Exhibitor bookings are looking healthy CONSUMER BUYING

Plant pricing is not a main concern SWEET MARKETING

‘Hoptimistic’ on new plant branding

ROYAL RECOGNITION Dutch King Willem-Alexander opens Expo 2022 Floriade

TOR LY FAIR C E N S O L I D A N T A E E R N PLANT THE O rs N E D R nds of visito A G N ands, thousa A st f E o s P d re O d Hun FOR THE EUR

Lots of novelties at the fair, which traditionally introduces at least 100 new plant species every year.

Plenty of inspiration from the well-known concept growers from the Netherlands and beyond!

One complete garden range, from the latest POS concepts to rare gems, presented together specifically for retail.

24+25 August International Trade Centre Hazerswoude/Boskoop The Netherlands

2022

PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt.nl

Reserve your stand

Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date!

Registering your stand is easy: Go to plantariumgroendirekt.nl/exhibitors or scan the QR code and register your Basic, Comfort or Premium stand!

Exhibitors benefit from a discount on the square metre price until 15 May 2022.

Partners of FloraCulture International FloraCulture International encourages the pursuit of joint activities in areas of mutual interest with national, and international societies, and organisations.

Agreements have been reached between FCI and leading growers and trade associations worldwide. FCI is proud to work in collaboration with:

FROM THE PUBLISHER

AIPH Secretary General Tim Briercliffe

Feeling optimistic for the industry Is it ok now to say that life feels a bit more normal? I hesitate to write this because I know that my experience in the UK is not the same everywhere.

Here life is moving on even though a significant proportion of the population has COVID right now! But I am conscious that it’s not the same for citizens of Shanghai.

Our Board member from Taipei has just completed a ten-day hotel quarantine as the price to pay for joining my colleagues and me in Europe.

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However, at least in most of the world, there is some sense of normality, and the ornamental horticulture industry is buoyant.

Sure, there are the challenges of soaring inflation and rising costs for many, but in the northern hemisphere, Spring is coming, and optimism is there.

We all want 2022 to be when we meet each other again. Our industry exhibitions play such an important role in this, and the first up for us will be GreenTech in Amsterdam in June. This year we are also holding our International Grower of the Year awards event at GreenTech on the evening of 14 June.

Some amazing finalists have been patiently waiting for the results, so please come and experience this tremendous international industry networking experience. We’ve slashed the cost of tickets to €50 so, as this includes food too, you can use it to entertain your customers and network.

We run this event for you with the support of Royal FloraHolland and other sponsors, so please make the most of it.

I’ve just returned from opening three AIPH-approved International Horticultural Expos throughout April. We started in the Republic of Türkiye with the opening of Expo 2021 Hatay, then on to the Netherlands for the opening of Expo 2022 Floriade Amsterdam Almere and then to Italy to open Euroflora 2022 in Genoa.

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The crowds are coming, and because of these events, millions of people will experience the power of plants first-hand. Despite the challenges, our industry is ready and raring to go.

I look forward to meeting you face-to-face somewhere this year.

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

MAY 2022 VOLUME 32 NUMBER 5

CONTENT

COVER STORY 42

ROYAL RECOGNITION Dutch King Willem-Alexander opens Expo 2022 Floriade

FEATURES

18 16

12

INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR (IGOTY) Secure your tickets for the IGOTY 2022 Awards ceremony

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CONSUMER BUYING Study finds pricing is an afterthought for plant shoppers.

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SOUTH AFRICA How indigenous flora is helping battle climate change impacts

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DIANTHUS WEEK IN COLOMBIA Pandemic sparks renewed interest in carnations

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SWEET MARKETING Richard Petri is ‘Hoptimistic’ on new plant branding

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FLOWERTRAILS An in-person event back after a two-year break

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GARDEN OF CIVILISATIONS Expo 2021 Hatay finally opens to showcase its country.

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29

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ITALIAN HORTICULTURAL SHOW Euroflora 2022 boosts industry in post-pandemic times

VOICES 04 07 49

FROM THE PUBLISHER HIGH-RISKS AND LOW-PROFIT MARGINS A ‘BIOTOPIA’ FUTURE

IN EVERY ISSUE 06 08 40 50

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WORLD NEWS VIS A VIS THE GREEN CITY POST SAVE THE DATE

FloraCulture International (FCI) is an independent trade magazine with the largest circulation for a world publication of its kind. FCI is published for the ornamental horticulture industry by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). It is published 11 times per year worldwide.

Editorial Team: Rachel Anderson, Onur Bal, Dr David Bek, Tim Briercliffe, Giusi Feleppa, Jaap Kras, Bernard Oosterom, Hannah Pinnells, Marta Pizano, Ron van der Ploeg, Dr Audrey Timm, Rachel Wakefield. Contact: info@floracultureinternational.com. Address: FloraCulture International, Horticulture House, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RN, United Kingdom. Editor: Ron van der Ploeg, ron@floracultureinternational. com Worldwide Advertising Office: Angie Duffree, angie@ floracultureinternational.com T. +31 6 403 277 35. Magazine designer: Rachel Wakefield. Cover image: Photo by Robin Utrecht. AIPH ©2022 FloraCulture International magazine. All rights reserved. Publisher is not liable for the content of the advertisements. Photographs by permission of copyright owners.

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WORLD NEWS

UNITED KINGDOM

AIPH welcomes new association members from across the globe The General Meeting of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) welcomes new members and affiliate members.

As the world’s champion for the power of plants, AIPH has been supporting grower associations since 1948. AIPH Members come from across the globe and are associations and trade organisations representing the interests of ornamental horticulture in their respective countries.

For the past two years, despite the global pandemic restricting movement, the Members have had to meet online. The Spring Meeting on 8 March was the first face-toface encounter meeting in the splendour of the Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina Hotel, Dubai.

The health crisis raised the profile of the ornamental horticulture sector, with many realising the benefits

that green plants and flowers provide to people’s emotional wellbeing. However, acknowledging the essential importance of our industry to some governments fell to grower and trade associations to keep garden centres and flower shops open.

From this situation, the need for collaboration and support with a larger organisation has increased Membership applications to AIPH. At the General Meeting, executive representatives agreed upon the following applications from Cámara de Plantas Flores y Follajes de Costa Rica (CPFF); Associazione Floricoltori e Fioristi Italiani (AFFI); South African Nursery Association (SANA), and Affiliate

NETHERL ANDS

A two-day workshop in Holland on sustainability in floriculture

Membership applications from Netherland organisations, Rabobank and Floritec.

Cámara de Plantas Flores y Follajes de Costa Rica (CPFF) is a private, non-profit organisation, and it now joins AIPH Region 5. They represent 45 member associations in the country participating in the production and export of ornamental plants, fresh-cut flowers and plant foliage.

In the application, Bernardo Vargas Morera says, “By joining AIPH, their members can gain insight into global industry trends and establish international alliances that support the industry.”

The Associazione Floricoltori e Fioristi Italiani (AFFI) sees

the benefits to its members in joining the AIPH Region 2. In application, Cristiano Genovali of the Italian association of florists says, “We want to join AIPH for the important work it is doing worldwide and to promote the Italian floriculture and to bring the work of our associates to the attention of the world.”

The South African Nursery Association (SANA) represents the country’s Green Industry’s interests at the government level and seeks to improve industry standards. In application, Gerdie Olivier says, “We understand the importance of networking on a global level. We hope to provide our

UNITED KINGDOM

Expo-sing the power of plants all over the globe

ADr David Bek is organising a two-day workshop in Holland in September 2022 entitled: ‘Sustainability 2030: Towards economic, environmental and social sustainability in the cut-flower industry’. The full details of the event programme and registration will be included in the June edition of Floraculture International. In the meantime, please direct any queries to Dr Bek via David.Bek@coventry.ac.uk

During the official opening of Expo 2022 Floriade Amsterdam Almere on April 13, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander hosted an “afterthought” event inviting the AIPH, BIE and NTR to discuss ways of collectively drawing even more attention to the importance of greening cities.

Secretary General Tim Briercliffe, alongside other guests talked about how International Horticultural Expos can play a key role in demonstrating what can be

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

achieved and stimulating change.

You can keep up-to-date with all Expo News by subscribing to AIPH monthly newsletter. www.aiph.org

VO I C ES

members with international information and opportunities where possible. We also hope to bring our expertise in the African market to AIPH Region 9.”

AIPH Affiliate Membership is open to any business or organisation with an interest and involvement in ornamental horticulture. Supporting the representation of new applications of two organisations from the Netherlands was AIPH Region 2 Member Nederlandse Tuinbouwraad (NTR). The Members approved Affiliate Membership to Floritec Trading B.V., a breeder of chrysanthemums, pot celosia and pot aster. The meeting also approved Rabobank’s application, a cooperative bank focusing on international business and rural activities in general and the Food and Agri sector.

For more information on membership, visit www.aiph.org

POL AND

Grow sales with FCI Webinar On 8 June FCI will present a webinar for Dutch floral exporters hoping to sell to Polish retailers. It will be followed by a Polish Trade Mission on 9 June. More details to follow soon.

In the meantime, we recently hosted a webinar live from the Izmir Convention Centre in Türkiye. Watch on-demand: What to import and how to procure plants and flowers from Türkiye.

HIGH RISKS AND LOW-PROFIT MARGINS (I) In this two-episode column, Industry veteran Jaap Kras questions if vertical integration will reshape our industry and what this means for the future role of wholesale. He also discusses the superpower of supermarket flowers next to the knowledgeable and passionate retail florist who makes flowers its business and has much interest in selling the best quality and most beautiful flowers.

Allow me to make some preliminary remarks before going into the specific topic of supermarket flowers.

Ideally, producers produce according to consumers’ needs in highly developed societies.

Is our industry different, and can we escape from these ‘economic, commercial laws’? Will we remain a fragmented industry with many independent farmers, wholesalers and retailers?

History shows how new technology brings many new products to consumers’ attention. In the past 200 years, steam power, railroads, telegraphs, telephones, cars, radio, television, fridges, air conditioning, mobiles, iPads, home computers, and more in the last decades.

Do the key characteristics of our industry – soil and weather dependency, perishable products, and substantial logistical demands - force us to continue to produce on relatively small enterprises which sell the products upon harvesting. Are we forced for good to store, cool, water and transport our products and follow a strategy modelling on short-term sales?

After a new product is launched, multiple new companies emerge to produce the novelty product or service. As soon as Karl Benz designed and built the world’s first practical automobile, every interested entrepreneur began to copy and develop a rival car brand.

What follows is a shakeout. Horizontal integration occurs with businesses achieving growth by purchasing related companies. On the other hand, vertical integration - backwards or forwards happens when a business takes control of one or several stages of production.

Both strategies result in a handful of large companies selling their products or services worldwide and doing everything themselves: R&D, production, distribution and retailing.

Wholesale companies ask themselves if information technology, warehousing and the modernised transportation industry will herald the end of wholesale. Critics say that accessible communication between production and retail makes wholesale unnecessary. And indeed, those wholesalers who do not add value will lose their function to warehousetransportation companies.

I have spent a long career in ornamental horticulture, in which hundreds of thousands or more relatively small family businesses form this sector’s backbone.

In arable cropping and dairy, the answer is clear. After thousands of years, with generation after generation doing more or less the same, the introduction of the tractor revolutionised agriculture. Later, more mechanisation and new breeding and selection techniques led to other revolutions.

Worldwide there is a massive shakeout and concentration in production: fewer but larger farms and higher production. In processing, the same thing happens, fewer dairy factories and the creation of multinationals. The faster the economy grows, the fewer farmers and people are working in agriculture companies.

Today, in the Netherlands, less than two per cent of the professional population is active in agriculture (including horticulture). In the 1950s, this was over 50 per cent.

During this time, we saw the arrival of the first large scale supermarkets, heralding the end for many groceries, butchers and bakers. Apart from some specialist shops, which succeed to differentiate themselves in the marketplace, there is no escape from the supermarket competition.

Read more about the superpower of supermarket flowers in the next edition of FloraCulture International.

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WORLD NEWS

V I S -À-V I S UNITED KINDOM

UNITED KINDOM

I throw myself down among the tall grass

I throw myself down among the tall grass

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now. When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence.

I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the

breath.

UNITED KINDOM

I throw myself down among the tall grass A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents.

I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath.

V I S -À-V I S

Exhibitor bookings are looking healthy for the 2022 GreenTech show Next month’s GreenTech tradeshow already has 450 confirmed exhibitors.

The interest is so high for visitors, that industry professionals are advised to

AUTHORS: RACHEL ANDERSON AND RON VAN DER PLOEG PHOTOS: GREENTECH AND RON VAN DER PLOEG

pre-register in advance of arrival at the venue.

Mariska Dreschler, RAI director of horticulture.

E

xhibitor bookings are

looking healthy for the 2022 GreenTech show taking place at the Amsterdam RAI convention centre between 14-17 June 2022. With less than 50 days to go before the opening of the show, 90 per cent of the floor space has now been booked.

The show organisers are expecting to have at least 500 exhibitors, and to surpass the 2019 edition of the show.

The 5th edition of GreenTech Amsterdam will celebrate horticulture’s thriving tech scene under the one roof. From artificial intelligence, to robotics, 3D crop modeling and adaptive greenhouse design, this year’s GreenTech Amsterdam is set to be bigger than ever.

Over 13,000 horticulture professionals from 115 countries will convene to contribute towards improving global health under the theme ‘Happy Food Healthy Flowers’. This year, the show floor will be particularly crowded as GreenTech attendees can easily combine a visit to FlowerTrials and Floriade, coinciding with GreenTech Amsterdam.

Canada, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland and the Netherlands have booked country pavilions.

Several feature areas will showcase companies dedicated

to: Medicinal Cannabis, Vertical Farming, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Robotics.

The 2022 GreenTech show’s educational programme includes sessions on: ‘Happy Food Healthy Flowers’, ‘Vegetables, soft fruits, flowers, herbs and new crops’, ‘Water, energy and automation solutions’, and the ‘Latest trends and developments on vertical farming and medicinal cannabis’.

The GreenTech Innovation Awards will once again celebrate the innovators and technologies in the horticulture industry. Every entry will be assessed by an expert jury. The winners in the categories ‘Innovation’ and ‘Concept’ will be announced during the official opening of GreenTech Amsterdam, on Tuesday 14 June.

Meanwhile, The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has announced the finalists of the International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2022. The awards ceremony will take place on 14th June 2022 at GreenTech Amsterdam. Nine ornamentals growers from around the globe have reached the final. Click HERE to see who the IGOTY 2022 finalists are.

This year’s GreenTech exhibition is returning to its full format for the first time since 2019. FCI talks to RAI director of horticulture Mariska Dreschler about what’s in store.

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AMSTERDAM 14 - 16 JUNE 2022

Meet the worldwide horticulture community

Register now

More than 13,000 professionals are expected at GreenTech Amsterdam 2022.

Theme: ‘Happy Food Healthy Flowers’ Meet new and interesting leads from all over the world Thousands of horticulture professionals, including market leaders and innovators, are present Matchmaking: Prepare your visit and make appointments in the virtual platform More than 50 knowledge sessions GreenTech Innovation Awards Spotlight on Medicinal Cannabis, Vertical Farming and AI / Robotics ABOUT GREENTECH GreenTech Amsterdam will take place from 14 - 16 June 2022. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with the focus on the early stages of the horticultural chain and the current issues growers face.

Your chance to meet the horticulture world in 3 days!

Organisation:

Partner:

Register now at www.greentech.nl

V I S -À-V I S

FCI: How do you feel about

GreenTech returning to its full format this year?

Mariska Dreschler: “It’s exciting.

We encourage people to jump on the plane and come to Amsterdam – rather than stay at home and wait for someone else to change the world.

Because seeing one another in person again at a big show and attending GreenTech’s thoughtprovoking knowledge sessions, will inspire us to act now to help solve the world’s most urgent problems.”

“Happy Food, Healthy Flowers” – the main theme for GreenTech 2021 – returns this year as the central theme for the Vision Theatre. What is it about this phrase that resonates so well with you?

“We purposely chose this phrase for its thought-provoking ‘twist’ (although you can eat flowers in your salad).

It also showcases what the GreenTech exhibition stands for – it has evolved into a global platform that we can use to involve and attract other industries, investors, and policymakers to help find new insights on and solutions for sustainable food and flower production.

Also, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted just how important it is to nourish yourself with fruit and vegetables. And eating plenty of these will make you happier as well.”

PRE-REGISTER NOW Visitors can register free of charge on www.greentech.nl between 6 and 13 June; visitors pay the registration fee of €69.99, including VAT per person. Or buy tickets at the door during the show on 14, 15 and 16 June, for €99.99.

Visit www.greentech.nl or follow GreenTech on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram for more information..

Why have you introduced a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Robotics Pavilion (including a Robot Arena) to this year’s show?

“Many of our exhibitors have developed AI solutions and we are seeing a lot of newcomers entering the horticulture market with their AI innovations. This is a growing area that has accelerated during the past few years, and we need to shine the spotlight on it. “Green” is a really interesting prospect for many industries and investors outside of the horticulture market. Just look at the green-tech investment from companies such as Denso and Dyson, for example. They can bring their intelligence to the horticulture industry to help optimise the robotics capability even more.

The AI Pavilion and Robot Arena will feature smart automation systems, picking/harvesting robots for different kinds of crops, vision AI, and robotics and logistics.

The price of energy, and other goods such as steel, have soared in many countries, including The Netherlands. Will cost-saving techniques be a focus of this year’s GreenTech event?

“Absolutely. It’s a big topic and we will be exploring, in-depth, how we can find solutions to the energy crisis. We will be diving into alternative/renewable

The fifth edition of GreenTech will celebrate horticulture’s thriving tech scene under one roof.

energy sources, such as solar and geothermal energy. What alternative energies are already successfully being used? And what really works best for our industry?”

Will visitors have the option of tuning in online, as they did last year?

“Some items will be livestreamed.

We hope to develop a specific online programme for some countries who are not able to attend the show because of the pandemic. And we plan to use our online platform for “matchmaking” companies prior to the show. But this year is mainly about bringing back the physical show – the online platform cannot compete with that.”

SEEING ONE ANOTHER IN PERSON AGAIN AT A BIG SHOW AND ATTENDING GREENTECH’S THOUGHT-PROVOKING KNOWLEDGE SESSIONS, WILL INSPIRE US TO ACT NOW TO HELP SOLVE THE WORLD’S MOST URGENT PROBLEMS

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I G OT Y

THE IGOTY AWARDS On Tuesday 14th June, alongside the AIPH approved Trade show GreenTech Amsterdam 2022, the industry’s most prestigious awards will celebrate the best ornamentals producers and name the AIPH

AUTHOR: HANNAH PINNELLS

International Grower of the Year 2022. Purchase tickets at www.aiph.org/event/igoty-2022

T

he International Grower of The Year (IGOTY) Awards celebrates the expertise and energy given to growing ornamentals. Since 2009, these industry awards have given peer recognition to production achievements in horticulture.

The awards also help to stimulate and promote best practice by giving global attention to outstanding producers and promoting knowledge throughout the industry.

IGOTY is a notable affair at GreenTech Amsterdam,

alongside the industry’s most significant horticultural tech trade fair.

CELEBRATING THE INDUSTRY Growers, horticultural businesses and industry peers get involved in the IGOTY Awards, either by entering the competition, sponsoring the event or attending the ceremony. Everyone involved in the ornamental horticulture industry is invited to participate in the drinks reception with a range of nibbles, to give you the opportunity to network with others in the industry.

THE IGOTY AWARDS 2022 ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY Headline Partner

Founding Partner FCI

Ruby Sponsors

Sapphire Sponsor Awards Partners & Flower Sponsor

Pearl Sponsor

FloraCulture International

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

I G OT Y

THE 2022 IGOTY FINALISTS

Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Limited, Canada: Specialises in trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, perennials and tropicals. Operates from five locations with over 500 acres in production and service over 2,400 retail stores throughout Canada and the USA.

Bunnik Group Bv., Netherlands: Established in 1945, Bunnik Plants is a 25+ha company producing 40-50 types of green houseplants. Each week one million houseplants leave the company, ready for the windowsill.

Jens Meyer Jungpflanzen, Germany: One of the largest European producers in conifer plant propagation. In addition to a total of 500,000 conifer and deciduous graftings, 2.5 million cuttings are propagated annually.

Luxaflor Roses, Zimbabwe: A producer and exporter of premium cut roses. An important and consistent earner of foreign currency since 1994, it boasts world-class facilities on its farm in Concession.

AIPH INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR 02 Established by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in partnership with FloraCulture International, the IGOTY Awards have been championing outstanding achievement in the ornamentals sector since 2009. Supported by Headline Partner, Royal FloraHolland, they recognise best practice in horticultural production by the top ornamental production nurseries from around the globe, celebrating the expertise and energy they give to horticulture. The awards also stimulate and promote best practice by giving global attention to outstanding producers and promoting knowledge throughout the industry.

THE 2022 IGOTY AWARDS inished Plants & Trees; for finished plants and trees that are ready for final sale.

F oung Plants; including cuttings, plugs, liners, seedlings etc. which are sold or Y grown on. ut Flowers and Bulbs; for flowers and foliage cut for indoor decorative use and C bulbs. ustainability Award; for best practice and innovation in areas such as; water, S chemical and energy use; climate change; transportation; labour management and social standards. old Rose Winner; from amongst the winners of all categories, an overall G champion will be crowned the ‘Gold Rose Winner’, to receive the industry’s most coveted and prestigious award.

Young International Grower of the Year Award; participants of Jungle Talks’ Pro Manager Mastercourse will have a chance to pitch to the jury

Matina Flowers S.A.S, Columbia:

THE 2022 IGOTY JURY

Grow 47 rose cultivars as Colombian flower exporters.

Operate within a novel business model comprising four associate companies bringing together 500 ha in production and 30 years’ experience.

The IGOTY Awards are judged by an international panel of industry experts who know what it means to be the best.

Metrolina Greenhouses, USA: Established in 1972 by Tom and Vickie VanWingerden, Metrolina is a family-owned business that grows and delivers live plants to over 1,400 retail outlets throughout 14 states on the east coast of the USA.

Prim’rose (SCA Clementine),

(Jury Chair) Mr Tim Edwards

Morocco: A branch of the Delassus Group, Prim’rose has been producing and exporting flowers since 1984. One of the leaders in mini carnations, delivering nearly 60 million stems into the English market.

Mr Augusto Solano

Chairman of Boningale Nurseries (UK)

President of industry body Asocolflores (Colombia)

Mr Hiroshi Sakata

President of the Japan Home Garden Association (Japan)

Sitio Kolibri, Brazil: Since 1994, Sitio Kolibri has produced Phalaenopsis Orchids. They specialise in producing in the most sustainable way, focusing on good labour relations and delivering healthy plants to their customers.

Mr Poul Graff CEO of Graff Breeding A/S (Denmark)

Wagagai Limited, Uganda: Mainly produce begonias, chrysanthemums and poinsettias, but also many pot plant cuttings. Based in the south of Uganda, they supply several prominent European breeders and growers.

Mr Jan-Dieter Bruns

Mr André van Kruijssen

President, European Nursery Stock Association (Germany)

CEO of Plantion (the Netherlands)

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C O N S U M E R R ES E A R C H

AUTHOR: RACHEL ANDERSON PHOTOS RON VAN DER PLOEG AND FROM A USA MARKET ANALYST

Opportunity to increase price of plants sold in garden centres

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A two-year study on consumers’ purchasing behaviours and in-store and online influences unveiled that price is often an afterthought for those buying plants in garden centres.

T

he Floral Marketing Fund (FMF) sponsored study was conducted between 2020 and 2021 on consumers in the United States and

Canada.

The research findings were discussed during a webinar held on January 27 (2022).

Entitled ‘Path to Purchasing for Garden Center Consumers In-Store and Online’, the discussion was led by Dr Amy Bowen, director of consumer insights at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Canada – which carried out the study in collaboration with the country’s University of Guelph.

Bowen revealed that 34 per cent of those interviewed did not notice the price of the plants they were buying.

Another 34 per cent saw the price but chose not to make any price

FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

comparisons with any other plants in the store.

POT SIZE MATTERS However, the study found that “container size matters”, – meaning that garden centre shoppers are more price-sensitive to specific pot sizes than others. Bowen advised: “Stock more inventory in pot sizes that consumers are less price-sensitive to – this could lead to a larger profit margin.”

She added: “Pricing of plants should not be linear but instead relate to price sensitivity. If consumers are willing to pay more for a four-inch than an eightinch pot, then build a profit margin into the four-inch format.” Bowen also reported that, for some plant sizes and pot sizes, an increase of 20 per cent

didn’t seem to make a difference to the consumer.

“In terms of how you apply that to your garden centre, I think you have to look at what your consumers are used to paying and how you can build that value up. If your pot is normally $2.99 and the next year they come in, and everything is at $7.99, they will probably notice that. It’s [about] figuring out where you want to position it and what margins you want to be able to try and apply it. With perennials, consumers are not really paying attention to the price in smaller pot sizes. But when the perennials get put into a larger pot size, they pay attention to the price.”

“So, if you want to increase your pricing, you want to be doing it on smaller, rather than larger, pot size formats.”

C O N S U M E R R ES E A R C H

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX The research, conducted with industry support and guidance from the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association (CNLA), also revealed that people go to garden centres with a specific purpose – mainly to find a plant to fit a particular location in their home or garden. To that end, the level of impulse buying amongst garden centre shoppers is low.

But Bowen noted: “Just because plant impulse purchases are low, it doesn’t mean that consumers won’t pick up items to care for their The research was carried out between 2020 and 2021 new plant. on consumers in the United States and Canada.

“Organise your store so that consumers pick up items that they need to care for their new purchase pick up a box with all their plant care where they find the plants – not in a needs to nurture their green thumb and separate section.” make a new purchase. So, we need to Making some suggestions, she said: think outside the ‘plant box’ for impulse “Does a plant need pruning? Then have buyers.” pruning shears at the ready. Does a CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AN plant need specific nutrients? If so, keep INVITING CULTURE ARE PARAMOUNT supplements handy and within reach for a convenient add-on. Be creative – The study also looked into online create plant kits so that consumers can shopping, unveiling that the primary

reasons consumers prefer to shop for plants in stores instead of online are “customer service” and “being able to interact with the plants and staff directly.”

Bowen asserted: “Investing in staff training is key to maintaining this atmosphere.”

The researcher also stressed the importance of creating an “inviting culture” in-store and online.

“The garden centre staff are an asset; invest in your customer service. Consumers value their knowledge and advice and are willing to pay more for the confidence in their purchase.

Invest in staff training and education so that no matter the shopping format, they can be advocates for your business and be a reason why consumers don’t want to shop anywhere else and don’t pay (as much) attention to the price.”

Another finding included the fact that a person’s gardening knowledge can impact his/her plant choices and price sensitivity; therefore, garden centres could create specific areas for gardening novices and gardening experts.

The research, conducted with industry support and guidance from the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association (CNLA), also revealed that people go to garden centres with a specific purpose in mind – mainly to find a plant to fit a particular location in their home or garden.

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A F R I CA

AUTHOR: DAVID BEK

Protea power driving South African floriculture

How can South Africa’s indigenous flora help battle climate change impacts?

W

hilst South Africa enjoys international renown as an exporter of fruit and wine; its cut flower industry has tended to slip under the radar.

Yet, exports of cut flowers and foliage grew by around 40 per cent between 2017 and 2021, reaching a value of $82 million, meaning that South Africa is the third-largest exporter on the African continent behind the giants of Kenya and Ethiopia.

A DISTINCTIVE NICHE WITHIN GLOBAL MARKETS Interestingly, South African flower production is dominated by indigenous products such as Proteas, pincushions, and greens, which originate from the Cape Floristic Region - one of the planet’s most biodiverse areas.

These unique and beautiful plants claim a distinctive niche within global markets. In recent decades, the so-called ‘Cape Flora’ sector has undergone a transformation from its rustic beginnings, based on the harvesting of flowers from wild landscapes, to a model that combines wild harvesting with a modern sector that cultivates higher value species such as Proteas.

Wild foliage and cultivated flowers are combined into bouquets that have gained popularity within the UK and European markets in the last decade. The growth of the bouquet export market has triggered modernisation within the industry, leading to higher product quality. In turn, this has benefitted sales in the local market. A decade ago, locally produced flowers had a tawdry image in South Africa due to low production standards. Now, high-value and mass-market Cape Flora products are retailed widely in South Africa as quality has improved markedly.

CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES Climate change challenges may constrain further significant growth. The Mediterranean climate of the Western Cape is becoming more variable as extreme weather events, such as the 2015-18 drought, occur more frequently. Water scarcity is a highly political issue as the needs of people come into conflict with the needs of agriculture.

However, commercial actors are responding to such challenges.

For example, Cape Flora exporter Fynbloem designed its bouquet production facility in Riviersonderend with circular economy principles to the fore. Measures have been put in place to achieve water-neutral status, energy demands are minimised via smart design features, and all categories of waste are recycled. These features act as cost-saving measures in their own right whilst futureproofing the company against risks such as water shortages and energy price rises. Furthermore, Cape Flora species are efficient water users as they evolved to thrive in a water-scarce environment.

The wild-harvested sector has declined in recent decades as cultivation has increased. But Cape ‘greens’ are still harvested in their millions and are important for bulking out and adding colour contrast to bouquets. Unfortunately, these stems are poorly valued in economic terms despite the contribution they make to bouquet design. Prices have declined substantially in real terms over the last decade to the extent that they could soon become uneconomic to harvest, which resonates with the experiences of wild foliage exporters across the globe. Wild foliage, which grows naturally without chemical supplements or additional irrigation, can be produced with very low environmental footprints. Therefore, the global cut flower industry should value it more highly as it positions itself as a sustainability champion in the fight against climate change.

David Bek is a Reader in Sustainable Economies and co-leader Sustainable Production and Consumption Cluster Centre for Business in Society Faculty of Business and Law at Coventry University.

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C U T F LOW E R S

PANDEMIC SPARKS A RENEWED INTEREST IN

Carnations 18

FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

C U T F LO W E R S

Dianthus Week in Colombia celebrates carnations’ beauty, colours, shapes, and innovative characteristics. The pandemic saw a global comeback for this flower with showier varieties, vibrant shades, unconventional bloom shapes,

AUTHOR: MARTA PIZANO PHOTOS: PROPAGAR PL ANTAS/ASOCOLFLORES

and even longer shelf life reviving the carnations’ popularity.

W

hen the commercial trade of cut flowers began, carnations quickly became a staple crop of flower growers in Europe and the USA for many years.

It caught on in Colombia in the late 1960s. In fact, from 1980s through to the 1990s, carnations held a hefty 60 per cent and over of the flower mix.

CARNATIONS PICKING UP Carnations gained popularity quickly because they could withstand less than perfect marketing conditions while still retaining a decent more than seven-day vase life with the end consumer. They came in a variety of pleasing colours that made them suitable for specific festive occasions. And growers found them relatively easy to grow, even if plant health issues arise. To control severe diseases like fusarium wilt, growers switched from soil to hydroponics or steam to disinfect their soil. In the early days of carnation production, the so-called Sim varieties suffered from calyx splitting. So growers

DIANTHUS WEEK

needed to place a rubber band around each bud to cover the split.

Then came improved shipping, packaging and postharvest care technologies allowing exporters to ship cut roses and many other flowers previously considered too short-lived for distant markets, reachable only after many hours of transport. It seemed carnations had fallen out of grace and only retained a presence on the international floriculture stage, as a basic product.

BREEDING PUSHES POPULARITY Carnation breeders and growers have not been idle over the past several years, and research and development efforts have begun to show very prominently.

Carnations started enjoying an increasing market presence, and popularity grew again with the pandemic and strongly featured this Valentine’s Day. Dianthus Week, held in early March in Colombia, confirmed this trend. The floral industry suddenly seems to have fallen in love again with carnations.

Fig 1. World carnation imports 2012-2020 (figures in USD 1,000s) Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022. ROW = Rest of the world.

Colombia is the unrivalled protagonist of the carnation world.

The Dianthus Week event featured showrooms from nine carnation breeders featuring 250 varieties in an astounding diversity of shapes and colours. FCI spoke to breeders and growers then analysed recent statistics on the international carnation trade to get a clearer picture of what is happening.

“Standard carnations have made a comeback over the last few years,” comments José Mauricio Barrera at Flores Funza, a large carnation producer near Bogotá. “An amazing range of new colours is now available, plus consumers favoured carnations during the pandemic lockdown because they last a long time; these are often flowers for personal and everyday use, not special occasions.”

Camilo Bleier from La Gaitana Farms confirms that demand exceeded supply a few months into the pandemic. He acknowledges that both standard and spray types have become very popular for bouquets.

“With carnations,” he states, “you get your money’s worth: beautiful, long-lasting flowers in a huge variety of colours, for a reasonable price compared to other flowers.”

BREEDING IN SITU According to breeders, breeding and selection varieties on the spot, directly in Colombia, have made a difference over the past 15 years. “Thirty years ago, we were only licensed propagators, selling cuttings to carnation growers,” says Rodolfo La Rota from Propagar Plantas. “Today, we select specifically suited varieties for our growing conditions.”

The process can take at least nine years but pays off: split calyxes are unheard of these days, with a vase

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C U T F LOW E R S

life of 30 days Propagar Plantas work hard on plant health, meticulously following up on the whole process of cutting production. They offer standard carnations only and can boast some very popular varieties like pink Ikebana and Gitana, an intense red.

UNCONVENTIONAL CARNATIONS Celiar Noreña, from SB Talee, notes, “Over the last decade, we have launched many new varieties onto the market. These novelty flowers include standard and spray carnations and unconventional lines of small-flowered Dianthus used as filler flowers or mono bouquets.

These newer varieties originate from a wide range of Dianthus species collected primarily in the Mediterranean region. They are selected and adapted to Colombian growing conditions. These new varieties travel very well, have a long vase life, and are favoured by customers worldwide, including China, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.

What about the state of disease management, in particular fusarium wilt? “We still struggle with that,” admits José Mauricio, adding that at Flores Funza, they still use steam within a strict IPM programme to grow a number of susceptible varieties that do well in the market.

“We have opted for a shorter growing cycle,” says Celiar, who grows carnations for export sales in addition to breeding. He says, “We switched to hydroponics which largely solves the wilt problem. But

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

hydroponics tremendously encourage Fusarium roseum, capable of causing similar losses to F. oxysporum (fusarium wilt).

INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CUT CARNATIONS The bulk of international carnation trade rests with a handful of countries, as seen in the figures below. However, according to UN COMTRADE statistics, carnations are reaching every corner of the world, with over 100 countries reporting a minimum of 100,000 USD in imports in 2020.

Five countries account for 70 per cent of global carnation imports: the USA, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany and the UK. Germany and

Fig 2. Carnation imports – USA (USD 1,000s). Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

the UK appear to have decreased imports over the last decade; however, they could be sourcing their flowers via the Netherlands.

Emerging markets include Poland and Belarus, the latter acting as a transit hub for the Russian market.

Total imports for 2021 have not been fully recorded yet.

Initially, they indicate substantial increases in imports from several countries, including key importers such as the USA, UK and the Russian Federation. Germany has reported decreased imports in 2021, which could reflect sourcing via the Netherlands.

An analysis of the five leading carnation importers provides

C U T F LO W E R S

further insight into where carnations are sourced and how this trade moves. Geographic proximity still prevails: Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico are closest to the US market and sell a large proportion of their product there (Fig 2); Turkey is increasingly accessing the European market via the Netherlands but also reaching Germany and the UK (Figs 1, 3 and 6); China only features as a supplier to Japan (Fig 4). However, Colombia supplies most of the carnations imported by Japan and is present in all importing markets.

Fig 3. Carnation imports – the Netherlands (USD 1,000s). Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

Fig 4. Carnation imports – Japan (USD 1,000s). Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

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C U T F LOW E R S

Fig 5. Carnation imports – Germany (USD 1,000s).

Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

Fig 6. Carnation imports – UK (USD 1,000s).

Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

C U T F LO W E R S

Colombia has an estimated 1,400ha dedicated to carnation growing.

EXPORT About half of the world’s carnation exports come from Colombia, followed by the Netherlands (which, as explained before, is also a large re-exporter).

Other important players are Turkey, China and Ecuador.

Traditional carnation producers in Europe (Spain, Italy) still hold a market share.

A range of other countries, which gained ground up to 2014, has been reduced (Fig 7).

Export data for 2021 are too incomplete at this time to conduct a proper analysis; however, ASOCOLFLORES reports a substantial increase of about 30 per cent.

Not all countries report standard and spray carnations separately, but in the case of Colombia, about 60 per cent of exports are of the standard type, with 40 per cent being spray or miniature carnations.

Also important is noting that the data used here does not reflect carnations used in bouquets, which in the case of Colombia could roughly add another 30 per cent to the total export figures.

Fig 7. World carnation exports 2012 – 2020 (USD 1,000s).

Source: UN COMTRADE and ITC statistics, 2022.

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MARKETING

Hop-timistic about the future Hops is hitting the shops in Germany this

AWARD-WINNING PINK KISSES CAMPAIGN

spring – and its thanks to “hoptimist”

AUTHOR: RACHEL ANDERSON PHOTOS: RIPL ANT

Richard Petri, founder of RiPlant.

For the purposes of the Pelargonium campaign, RiPlant ‘transformed’ PAC owner Antonia Feindura into a ‘chocolatier of Pelargoniums’.

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A

s we know, flowers and chocolates complement one another so well that their point of isale is often side by side in key retail positions. Indeed, the confectionary and horticulture sectors share many similarities.

The products bring rewarding cheer to people’s lives. With this point in mind, it makes sense that those who work in floriculture might also work in the confectionery business at some point in their career. But it is doubtful that many people’s CVs are quite as unique as Richard Petri’s.

HELPING EUROPEAN BREEDERS TO DEVELOP MOTHER STOCK The founder of the Germany-based communications and sales agency RiPlant, Petri studied horticulture but, by chance, spent a decade during the early part of his career working in marketing for Mars.

FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

Richard Petri.

“The training was unbelievable.

Never in my life have I had such opportunities to learn. I was taught, for example, that my job was not to tell people what to do, but to motivate them to do it for themselves. And I also discovered that, as a manager, you must appraise yourself and ask your staff members to give feedback on your performance. And that is what I did in Africa. You employ people, you train them, you motivate them, and you build an organisation.”

Petri left Mars to return to horticulture – moving to Africa to help European breeders develop their mother stock. This time in his career included some four years working as general manager for Selecta’s production site in Uganda.

He reflects: “During my time in Africa I learned the importance of improvising, patience, endurance, and finding happiness in the little things in life – those things that we often take for granted.”

“I also learned that, if you stay curious and show interest in your colleagues’ lives – their families and their culture – you will be respected. And, in return, they will offer you their loyalty, commitment, and hard work.”

On returning to Germany in 2010, Petri worked as Selecta’s marketing and product management director, leading an awarding-winning campaign for the mini-pot carnation, Pink Kisses.

“We ran a successful campaign. And now, more and more companies are asking RiPlant: “Can we do something similar?’”

Petri believes that Pink Kisses’ success was largely due to how it tuned into people’s emotions.

Specifically, the campaign communicated to young people – ‘Generation Y’, whom Petri believes the horticulture industry should be doing more to reach out to. “We have placed Pink Kisses as a gift between young women – so that the plant was as beautiful as their friendships, or their friendships were associated with this plant.”

Interestingly, the campaign never discussed any horticultural

Hops is hitting the shops in Germany this spring.

MARKETING

advantages of the mini-pot carnation, such as whether it is a perennial or has a scent or is winter hardy. Another noteworthy point is that the PR campaign targeted lifestyle and beauty publications rather than traditional horticulture industry campaign channels.

Garland Hydrangea is traditionally associated with weddings. floriculture trade show.

MARKETING A BRAND Petri’s skill for marketing a brand to the consumer is one that he honed during his time at Mars. It’s a skill that he believes the horticulture industry has been missing because, often, breeders focus all their efforts and money on breeding and producing the plants but fail to monetise their product. Fortunately, RiPlant can bridge this gap and help breeders and growers’ better market and sell their products.

Petri set up RiPlant three years ago after deciding it was time for a career change. He explains: “The ten years at Selecta ended in Pink Kisses, which was a great success.

So, then I thought: If I don’t try to do my own thing now, then when will I?’ After 30 years on the move, it was now or never.”

RELAUNCHING ELSNER PAC’S CHOCOLATE SERIES Since founding RiPlant, Petri and the RiPlant team have helped connect many plants to consumers’ emotions in Germany. As the marketing consultant for Elsner PAC, RiPlant is relaunching PAC’s Pelargonium ‘Chocolate’ series this year. This plant boasts colourful flowers and sumptuous, dark, chocolate-brown leaves.

“Having worked in the chocolate industry, I am encouraging consumers to associate these

attractive plants to the familiar feelings they have about chocolate.

So, we are presenting the ‘Chocolate’ series ‘tastefully’ and with a bit of humour,” explains Petri.

For the purposes of the Pelargonium campaign, RiPlant has also ‘transformed’ PAC owner Antonia Feindura into a “chocolatier of Pelargoniums” because “creating fine chocolate is like creating fine Pelargoniums.”

SELF-ACCLAIMED ‘HOPTIMIST’

Elsner PAC’s Chocolate series includes Pelargoniums that boast colourful flowers and sumptuous, dark, chocolate-brown leaves.

RiPlant’s sales and marketing campaign for hops plants (produced

by Elsner PAC) also connects to people’s emotions by focussing on the nostalgia associated with drinking a cold glass of beer (ideally on a warm summer’s day, with friends, in the garden).

Petri, who amusingly describes himself as an ‘hoptimist’, explains that whilst hops plants are best

known for producing beer, they are also an interesting, multipurpose garden plant. “They are decorative and could be nice for urban greening. They will climb high up wires and trellises to create green screens,” he says – adding that gardeners can also make non-alcoholic beverages from hops, such as hop-infused tea and lemonade.

The initiative started last year with a digital marketing campaign that utilised Facebook and Instagram to raise awareness of and inform younger consumers (millennials) about the Echter Brauhopfen hops, which is now available on https:// hops.digital/en/ Petri points out that digital marketing is not used in every campaign he runs – only those in which it is necessary. For example, Ri Plant’s work for the (hortensia) Runaway Bride primarily utilised print media. This decision is because this garland Hydrangea is traditionally associated with weddings. Therefore, photographs of the plant’s resplendent white blooms were marketed to wedding magazines, which are read and enjoyed by brides-to-be and their friends and family members.

TASPO AWARD RiPlant’s hops marketing campaign won a prestigious TASPO award in 2021. This season they will continue to utilise digital media channels.

At the same time, the hops plants will go on sale in well-known retail chains, garden centres, and Germany’s largest online gardening store, Gärtner Pötschke.

“We know from last year’s test markets that consumers are ready for hops,” asserts Petri, whose clients are ready to connect their plants to the people who buy them emotionally.

From his time working for Mars, he recalls that a different type of consumer enjoyed each of its many products – such as Bounty, Twix, Milky Way, Mars bars, and M&Ms. Similarly, a breeder’s many plant varieties have a different audience.

And a thoughtful, strategic marketing initiative can nurture and encourage people’s fondness for specific plants and flowers.

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floritec.eu

O R N A M E N TA L PL A N T E V E N T

FLOWERTRIALS IS BACK IN BLOOM AND IN-PERSON AFTER THE COVID BREAKS A wide variety of new plants and marketing concepts will showcase at this year’s FlowerTrials, returning for

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG

its 17th edition after a two-year absence.

F

rom 14 to 17 June, 60 breeding companies in the Westland and Aalsmeer area (The Netherlands) and Rheinland Westfalen area (Germany) will open their doors at 29 locations, ready to show their latest assortment in bedding plants, patio plants, houseplants and edibles to young plant producers, growers, exporters and buyers from across the world.

This year, nine companies will make their debut at FlowerTrials, succeeding the traditional pack trials aka spring trials - in early May. While the Spring Trials focuses on seed-based companies, FlowerTrials targets the entire supply chain.

NEWCOMERS AND RE-ENTRANTS

Registration is now live

The FlowerTrials website offers a clear overview of all participating breeders and their assortment.

Visitors can preregister at www.flowertrials.com

Debuting at FlowerTrials are Polish Vitroflora, renowned for its extensive range of perennials, whereas Hortinno from Belgium specialises in indoor Azalea, outdoor japonica and Rhododendron.

Denmark-based Graff Breeding offers high-quality Hibiscus, Poinsettia and Mandevilla. HiBreeding from The Netherlands will show its latest development in innovative Hydrangea breeding.

Back after a couple of years’ absence is the German Bruno Nebelung, owner of the famous Kiepenkerl brand. Nebelung breeds and distributes high-quality flower and vegetable seed varieties for home gardeners.

Also, HM. Clause from France breeds vegetable and flower OP varieties for gardening amateurs. The French Voltz Horticulture (Graines Voltz) offers seed and young plants to home gardeners and the professional market in Europe. Finally, two Italian companies have joined the group: Lazzeri is a breeder and young plant supplier of ornamental plants for Italy, whereas Sentier breeds and grows cyclamen and other young plants for the local and European market.

LONG-TERM EXHIBITORS The following companies will return as exhibitors: ABZ Seeds, Agriom, AllPlant Young Plants, Anthura, Armada Young Plants, Beekenkamp Plants, Benary Samenzucht, Brandkamp, Cohen Propagation Nurseries, Danziger – Bongartz, Danziger – Imperial plants, Decock Plants, Dümmen Orange (Dutch

Breeders will showcase at FlowerTrials after two-years. & German location), Ebbing-Lohaus, Elsner pac Vertriebsgesellschaft, Endisch, Evanthia, Floranova, Florensis, Floricultura, Green Works, Gruppo Padana, Hassinger Orchideen, Hendriks Young Plants, Hem Genetics, HilverdaFlorist, Hishtil, Horteve Breeding, Jonge Planten Grünewald, Jaldety Plant Propagation Nurseries, Kientzler Jungpflanzen, KP Holland, Koppe Begonia, Marathon Plants, MNP / Suntory, Morel Diffusion, PanAmerican Seed, P. v.d. Haak handelskwekerij, Prudac, Queen® Genetics, Royal van Zanten, Sakata, Schneider youngplants, Schoneveld breeding, Syngenta Flowers, Takii Europe, Van den Bos Flower Bulbs, Volmary, Westhoff and Selecta One. The latter will team up with Evanthia for the FlowerTrials® 2022 at a new location: Green ’05 in the Westland region in the Netherlands. Selecta One will also present their highlights in Germany at their usual FlowerTrials® location at nursery Filla in Straelen. The company’s novelties include additions to their Dianthus assortment and Verbena Drums and SKYfamily Petunias range. Selecta’s outstanding breeding success, Pink Kisses®, will inspire the international audience with its perfect communication concept.

A NEW LOOK A new visual identity will give the brand a fresh and modern look. Stylised drawings of breeders, visitors and their assortment in fresh, attractive colours provide a new image to accompany the slogan ‘where plants meet people.’

Marjolein Kuyucu-Lodder, International Product Manager at Florensis and FlowerTrials Board Member: “Our new visuals are highly unique and will stand out in print and online applications. They will annually adjust while keeping the same style, allowing our brand identity to remain unique and modern, yet recognisable.”

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FLOWER TRIALS

A DV E R TO R I A L S

Elsner pac The breeding and young plant company Elsner pac®, Germany, is rooted in tradition and has been famous for its fine Pelargonium breeding programme for about 70 years.

Over time, the company has reshuffled its business model from a pure licence breeder to a modern young plant company with stateof-the-art greenhouses near Dresden and mother stock facilities in Portugal and Kenya. Stock plants grow under strict conditions to present a healthy, pest-free plant to harvest cuttings.

The crop variety produced ranges from traditional bedding plants and perennials to bio-herbs, vegetables, and brewing hops.

In recent years, Elsner pac lined out its journey for the future in creating wholly-owned product brands supported by strategic communication concepts.

In partnership with an external marketing expert, brands like Hops®, Potatoo® or Chocolate® have gained momentum with new young plant orders flying in from Europe. The company’s general manager Christoph Hoffmann, sales director Jörg Mehle and product manager Antonia Feindura have built a passionate and competent team to support growers worldwide with the best starter plants and innovative marketing concepts.

The company also holds Biotec, an analytic service company specialising in assisting growers in phytosanitary and abiotic matters with wholly-owned laboratories, including a fully equipped soil testing lab.

Elsner pac has redefined what ‘pac’ stands for Passion And Competence.

ELSNER PAC VETRIEBSGESELLSCHAFT MBH Am Fiebig 14 PASSION AND 01561 Thiendorf COMPETENCE Germany T.: +49 35248 399110 Mobile: +49 176 12559100 Fax: +49 35248 399150 info@pac-elsner.com www.pac-elsner.com/en/

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FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

Success blooms at Brandkamp Brandkamp, one of Europe’s leading experts in breeding and propagation Chrysanthemums and a wide range of bedding plants, is pleased to be back at the forthcoming FlowerTrials in June. The company is confident that the 4-day event will put faith back in face-to-face business. The global ornamental plant community is ready for a good dose of positivity in no uncertain times.

Brandkamp Breeding & Jungpflanzen places a strong emphasis on constant innovation to meet the changing needs of its international customers. The company will put its newest plants in the spotlight at the Breeders Avenue novelty showcase at Takii Seed in Aalsmeer.

For many years, Jollies Fuchsias have been synonym to one of Brandkamp’s most popular and succesful Fuchsia breeding programmes.

The colourful display at FlowerTrials will mirror the company’s progress in Fuchsia breeding, adding new trailing varieties and many new bold colours. Occupying pride of place will be the novelties for the 2021/2022 season.

In Lantana breeding, the news is Tropic Cocktail, a colourful plant mix of three different Lantanas in one pot. Brandkamp’s Lantana breeding programme is simple but extremely intelligent and develops improved varieties to meet the specific needs of growers, each of them

BRANDKAMP GMBH JUNGPFLANZENVERTRIEB In der Flora 6 46419 Isselburg - Anholt T. +49 (0) 2874 91 36 0 Fax +49 (0) 2874 91 36 22 www.brandkamp.de

operating in unique growing conditions. Whether growers are in Northern, Western and Southern Europe, the company will always try to put itself in the grower’s place, focusing on geography, greenhouse tech, soil, water and climate. As such, Brandkamp is proud to present a customised line of Lantanas suited for growing in Southern Europe.

In Solfaro Pelargoniums, varieties “with an eye” and two-toned varieties in the upright growing segment will undoubtingly be among the eye-catching varieties at this year’s Flower Trials.

Pot mums, decorative and disbudded varieties with elegant flowers, mixed varieties, the new Tamalu series, and two-toned Flashlight Mums will demonstrate Chrysanthemums’ wide range of colours and shapes.

The company stresses there is so much more to discover at Brandkamp and invites all industry professionals to visit their stand in Aalsmeer to experience plenty of wow moments.

Flower Trials site: HortiParQ (Takii Seed) Mijnsherenweg 23 1433 AP Kudelstaart

14 – 17 JUNE 2022 The International Pot and Bedding Plant event held at 29 locations in The Netherlands and Germany No fewer than 61 Pot and Bedding Plant breeders proudly present their innovations, creative concepts and an incredibly wide range of crop assortments. From technical information to retail inspiration, from breeding breakthroughs to latest trends, every professional in ornamental horticulture has a reason to meet at FlowerTrials®.

For an overview of the participating companies, routes and free registration visit www.flowertrials.com

WWW.FLOWERTRIALS.COM

register online

From October 2nd 2023 to March 28th 2024

E X P O 20 21 H ATAY

Türkiye’s ornamental horticulture on display Expo 2021 Hatay has twice had its opening deferred due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but now a month since opening visitors are coming. The theme is Garden of Civilisation which has given AUTHORS: ONUR BAL & RACHEL WAKEFIELD PHOTOS: EXPO 2021 HATAY

the metropolitan municipalities a chance to shows their history, tastes and colours of nature.

E

xpo 2021 Hatay is an important global showcase for Türkiye’s ornamental horticulture.

Many thousands of bedding plants, trees and shrubs in the Expo borders come from local nurseries. In the gardens, there are displays of native medicinal and aromatic plants.

There are also horticultural greenhouses where local and national producers will be able to show products. Throughout the event, live commercial contact days occur with botanic and horticulture producers creating new market opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Lütfü Savaş, Mayor of Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, talks about the importance of hosting this International Horticultural Expo. “The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has dimmed people’s prospects for the future at a time when the world has been fighting the virus for two years and is economically bleak. We believe our Expo will demonstrate the importance of embracing peace, calm, living in harmony with the land, and respecting history and culture. This will be more than simply a horticulture Expo; it will be a Expo about health, peace, and optimism for the future in this difficult time... For Hatay, Türkiye, and the rest of the globe.”

İhsan Çakar, Expo 2021 Hatay Secretary General adds, “I would like to thank the people of Hatay, who believed in this Expo, stood behind us and set up their dream with us. Their faith has enabled us to get through these difficult times.

Postponing it, wore us out morally, but it was necessary. Now, we are able to experience pride here.”

The AIPH approved B Category International Horticultural Expo has attracted international participation with creative pavilions. In this issue, we take a look at the national gardens showing plants from their regions and sharing their culture with the world.

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E X P O 20 21 H ATAY

ISTANBUL METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

GAZIANTEP METROPOLITIAN MUNICIPALITY

AYDIN METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

Istanbul is the largest city in Türkiye and ranks the world’s fifth-largest city. Istanbul is best known for being Türkiye’s cultural, economic, and historic centre.

Istanbul’s representation in the Expo’s Antakya site divides into three themes on nature: green, fun and creative.

There are three different immersive, topographical concepts for visitors: green Istanbul, wild Istanbul, and game Istanbul.

Green Istanbul looks at nature in urban green areas. Upon entry, there is a mirrored installation, posing the slogan “Istanbul is yours” as Antakya visitors look back at their reflections. The message aims to give the viewer time to reflect on sustainable perspectives.

Next, the visitor can follow a yellow pipe towards the ‘game Istanbul’, a playful symbol with the slogan “from a city with playgrounds to a playable city”. Here nature embraces a playground area with creative structures to climb upon made from natural materials.

Finally, Istanbul’s wildlife and biodiversity are present in the form of aromatic plants and endemic species. These seasonal flowers are produced by a seedling support scheme that employs the villagers of Istanbul.

Gaziantep is in the westernmost part of Türkiye’s Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Mediterranean Region. The area is home to many significant archaeological remains depicting many civilisations through the ages, and UNESCO World Heritage Centre protects many stunning 2,200-year-old mosaics in the area.

The ancient cities of Zeugma and Karkamış were in this area, which attracted a highly varied character of ethnicities who settled or passed through and used this place as a central crossing point on the river Euphrates. Surrounding this old civilisation site, carved deep into the limestone rock underground, is an incredible cobweb of underground water systems that extends for miles. The Liva were well-calculated, gentle sloping underground tunnels that distributed water to public watering holes known as Kastel.

The green areas around these water systems are celebrated and replicated in the Gaziantep Garden at the Expo.

Framing the waterhole is stonework relating to another ancient site, Yesemek, a stone quarry with the most significant statue processing worksite during the Hittite rule 1344–1322 BC.

Herodotus characterised Aydin as “The Most Beautiful Earth Under the Sky.” In modern times it is a city that continues to attract tourists.

The area is also known for its agriculture-based food industries and livestock farming.

In the rows of bedding in the Aydin City Garden at the Expo are medicinal, aromatic plants and products such as sarilop figs, olives, chestnuts, memecik olive and lemon trees.

The Aydin Metropolitan Municipality has paved the way for the long-term preservation and transfer of native Ancestral Seeds.

Vegetable seedlings grown from Ancestral Seeds in the garden, including pumpkins - which, when ripe, will be notable for their scent and aroma and be turned into a popular Aegean dessert of candied pumpkin morsels.

ANKARA METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

LOVE FLOWERS ARE ENDEMIC PLANT SPECIES THAT GROW ONLY IN THE GOLBASI DISTRICT OF ANKARA. THEY ARE DETERMINED TO BE ENDANGERED BY THE WORLD UNION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION

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Love flowers are endemic plant species that grow only in the Golbasi district of Ankara. They are determined to be endangered by the World Union of Nature and Natural Resources Conservation. The Ankara garden raises awareness of these plants and more at the Expo.

The project aims to also give visitors a taste of the city’s ambience by creating miniatures of its most notable landmarks and flora ideal

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for the Ankara environment.

Replicas of Anıtkabir (the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk), Atakule (communications and observation tower), and Hac Bayram Veli Mosque (one of the city’s icons since the Ottomans) are visible at various points along the promenade.

The Hittite Sun, a symbol commonly used about 4,250 years ago in religious ceremonies and symbolic of Ankara, is modelled in the middle of the site as a massive structure for visitors to rest upon and contemplate the planting or for children to play.

from the 1800s; a smaller version sits at the Expo garden entrance.

The works of botanist and author of De materia medica, Pedanius Dioscorides, are recognised in the planting in the Mediterranean area of the garden. His five-volume encyclopedia about herbal medicine was on the best-seller list for more than 1,500 years.

ESKISEHIR METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

MUGLA METROPOLITIAN MUNICIPALITY

ADANA METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY Adana city garden showcases the geography of this southern Türkiye district and its historical buildings.

The Taurus Mountains dominate the landscape, a mountain complex separating the Mediterranean coastal region from the central Anatolian Plateau. Also, in a scaled-down version is the recently discovered Aşağı Dünya Sinkhole.

These are in the vertical garden in the north of the area.

The water flowing from this vertical garden forms a pond. This pond represents the Seyhan River and the Mediterranean Sea. In the old town of Adana, Tepebağ houses overlook the Seyhan River; a copy of this historical neighbourhood is in the Expo garden. So too are ruin columns representing the medieval castle of Anavarza. This acropolis switched hands several times (Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Abbasid Caliphate, Crusaders, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and Mamluks of Egypt).

The Büyüksaat (Great Clock Tower) is a potent symbol of engineering

Mugla Garden is a botanically designed garden that reflects the Mugla province’s herbal diversity, boasting rich biodiversity of endemic plants, forest plants, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants.

Ancient regions are on display, showing activities from the beekeeping with log hives in Theangela, wine production in Cadianda, and the Turkish port city of Knidos, with a miniature version of the Bodrum homes overlooking the Aegean Sea. In the garden are chunks of Mugla white marble known for its smooth alabaster tones without veins found in quarries around the city.

Endemic flora such as the Datça Date palm and Anatolian Sweetgum grow in the Expo garden - both hold important positions in Türkiye’s biodiversity.

ESKIŞEHIR IS ALSO KNOWN FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE PORSUK RIVER THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE CITY — TURNING IT FROM A DANGEROUSLY, HIGHLY POLLUTED STRETCH OF WATER IN 1999 TO A SAFE AND THRIVING GREEN CORRIDOR TODAY

The Eskişehir garden reflects the area’s art, aesthetics and intellectual history under the leadership of Mr Büyükerşen, the president of Eskişehir. Known for its two universities, Eskişehir Osmangazi University ESOGU and Anadolu Üniversitesi. The northwestern province is also a film location for many international and Turkish productions.

The area is also known for the rehabilitation of the Porsuk River that flows through the city — turning it from a dangerously, highly polluted stretch of water to a safe and thriving green corridor under the president’s implementation of the Eskişehir Urban Development Project in 1999.

At the EXPO, a replica of the pedestrian bridge over the Porsuk River pedestrian bridge, a brightly coloured Odunpazarı townhouse and famous street art, including a tree-planting man and two women gossiping on a bench.

ANTALYA METROPOLITIAN MUNICIPALITY The Antalya Garden constructed for Expo 2021 Hatay stresses the threat of global warming and climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the forest fires that are becoming an annual occurrence in Türkiye. For the tourist popular southwestern district of Antalya Manavgat, climate

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change is hastening nature’s metamorphosis from green to desert yellows, with thundering streams drying up and summer fires.

In the Brad and Akseki districts, a symbol of resilience is “Button Houses”. These homes, believed to be 300 to 400 years old, have survived fires and earthquakes.

So-called because the wooden parts of the scaffold used during the construction look like “buttons.”

A replica stands in the Expo garden, so too does a representation of the threat of desertification. In the first part of the landscape area, a rushing stream is full of water. However, the water completely depletes in the last part of the creek bed. In the green space where water is plentiful, many plants and trees show the importance of green. As the water decreases, the amount of plants decreases too, and at the last point where the water runs out, cactus and succulent plants grow, just like in nature. In the final display, the fire and its effect, which is the last point of global warming, is shown with desert sands and the charred remnants of trees.

The garden’s designers say, “Last year’s massive forest fire in Antalya’s Manavgat district demonstrated that the repercussions of global warming have already begun. Desertification will be inevitable due to increased drought, flood, erosion and forest fires due to climate change. We keep saying, “Water is Life, Water is Life, Water is Life”.”

MERSIN METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY There are many ruins of ancient cities left by ancient civilisations in the north, south, east and west of the Mersin province.

Historical tourists flock to view

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the antiquity cities Aphrodisias, Uzuncaburç, Kelendris, Anemirium, Diocaesarea-Olba or the remaining 5,000-year-old columns of Mezitli Pompeipolis. There are artefacts left by the Romans, such as the historical city of Tarsus, its still-standing Cleopatra Gate, the straight, cobbled roads, the stillworking Saint Paul’s Well, and the Roman Elaiussa Sebaste ancient city.

Relics important to different religions reside in Mersin, such as Eshab-ı Kehf Cave, The Mausoleum of Danyal, Ayatekla Church, Alahan Monastery, Zeyne Tomb and archaeological burial mounds at the Yumuktepe and Gözüle. There are also many Medieval fortress castles, such as Namrun Castle, Silifke Castle, Mut Castle, Softa Castle and Mamure Castle. Human endeavour is on show in rock carved at Adamkayalar into 17 Roman-era reliefs or painted on the rock by palaeolithic artists more than 8,000 years ago. There are the colourful nomadic Yörüks people or the settled agricultural Gazi Forest farmers. Let’s not forget the natural phenomena: Tarsus Waterfall, Lamos Canyon, Göksu Delta, Astim Cave, Dana Island, Yer Köprü Waterfall, Aynalıgöl Cave, HeavenHell Pothole, Cennet-Hell Pothole, Taurus Mountains and kanlıdivane an ancient city surrounding a natural sinkhole.

The Mersin Garden contains many historical features, and plants have grown into the design. After all, Mersin gets its name from the aromatic plant genus Myrsine in the family Primulaceae, a myrtle that grows in abundance in the area. Other plants include citrus trees such as lemon and orange, olives, prickly figs, bananas, and for festivities, Bridal Veil (Bougainvillea) and Mediterranean Laurel.

IZMIR METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY A snail pattern welcomes the visitors at the entrance of the Izmir Garden, and the relief of Nike, the god of victory, a symbol of speed and flying, invites you through the door.

Visitors following this spiral will pass through the gardens that emphasise the natural and cultural landscape of İzmir and reflect the city’s vision of nature conservation, agricultural production and recreation. Then, visitors gather in İzmir Square, which is a guarantee of living together.

Anatolian motifs inspire the forms that make up the site plan of the Izmir Garden. The spiral-shaped İzmir road, which guides the visitors, offers sections from the city’s historical, cultural and natural riches in the human adventure from ancient times to the present. The spiral-shaped İzmir road, which guides the visitors, offers sections from the city’s historical, cultural and natural riches in the human adventure from ancient times to the present. And now you are in one of the squares of Izmir, the guarantee of democracy. A free square where you will experience the coexistence of differences under one roof.

Quick Facts The Expo Site covers 30 hectares in Hatay. It expects to attract two million visitors to its two sites: one in the Kisecik area of Antakya and the other in the Nardüzü area of Karaağaç district of İskenderun. Hatay Municipality has organised free transportation between both areas.

In expectation of the success of Expo 2021 Hatay, the Mayor, Dr Savaş, has initiated a Carbon Neutral City application to the EU.

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Nature’s beauty on display at Euroflora 2022 The International Horticultural Show opened during April and ends on 8 May in the parks of AUTHORS: GIUSI FELEPPA & RACHEL WAKEFIELD PHOTOS: EUROFLORA 2022

Genoa, giving a high profile to the Italian horticulture industry in these challenging times.

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he International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) Category C Approved International Horticultural Exhibition could not happen in 2021 due to the continuing restrictions of a global pandemic. But now, the open-air stage for Euroflora 2022 is ready for audiences seeking and appreciating the beauty and wonder of an Italian flower show.

The three historical, neighbouring parks of Nervi with overlooking cliff views and three Museums dedicated to the figurative arts of the 19th and 20th centuries are the exceptional settings for Euroflora 2022. With a theme focusing on “A World of Rare Beauty”, this is the 12th International

Exhibition of Flowers and Ornamental Plants in Genoa, a port city and the capital of northwest Italy’s Liguria region until 8 May, 8.30am to 7pm each day.

On this Mediterranean canvas, nature displays a sea of colours and fragrances in enchanted gardens designed by national and international participants creating examples of magnificent colours, audacious floral geometry, works of art and blossoming charms of shrubs and trees, all in the evocative context of great historical and landscape value and breath-taking views of the sea.

A ROYAL VISIT ON OPENING DAY

Saturday, 23 April. In the afternoon, at Palazzo Ducale, The Prince was bestowed with the honorary citizenship of Genoa, sealing a long-lasting bond between Genoa and Monaco.

The bond between the Royal Grimaldi family and Euroflora goes back a long way. Princess Grace and Prince Ranieri of Monaco were guests at the first edition of the Show back in 1966, and Grace, who was very fond of roses, came back in 1971. A creamy white rose with petals gently edged with pink carmine, the “Princesse de Monaco”, which grows in the Rose Garden in the Parks of Nervi, was named after the Princess.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Monaco attended Euroflora on

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GARDENS DESIGNED BY INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTICIPANTS Ahead of its opening, all pavilions and displays are judged by a jury of 103 highly qualified experts in botany, agronomy, landscape design, composition and art. Alongside AIPH representatives, they all shared the tough job of viewing and marking more than 90 gardens on the eight hectares of Parco Gropallo, Parco Serra, and Parco Grimaldi dotted with multi-centennial trees, Mediterranean vegetation, tropical specimens and new plantings.

There are 256 competitions, divided into honorary, design and technical rounds. The President of Euroflora’s International Judging Panel is Arturo Croci, an industry veteran and former publisher of horticultural media outlet Flortecnica. The president of the national judging panel is Ettore Zauli, agronomist, former director of the Landscape Department of the Municipality of Genoa, university professor and a longstanding leading figure of the event. The award ceremonies happen at Euroflora 2022’s closing.

The presence of international participation is valuable to the success of Euroflora, and this edition is exceptional. It includes the Netherlands with a large display conceived by the Expo 2022 Floriade designers of the Niek Roozen Landscape studio, taking inspiration from the Dutch Expo’s concept of Green Cities. It has a living bouquet of colourful flowers arranged around a pond. It features aquatic plants, ornamental grasses, perennials and bulbs: an invitation to plant more greenery and flowers on one’s balcony, garden, and neighbourhood to promote better urban living.

Other countries in Genova are the Principality of Monaco with its Jardins Exotique, China representing the China Flower Expo for the second time, France with the Floralies of Nantes, now twinned with Euroflora, Spain, with a garden dedicated to the traditional event of the city of Murcia, the Entierro de la Sardina, and the United States with the city of Columbus (Ohio).

National participation showcases a journey through Italy’s great

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regional collectives, from north to south, showcasing important exhibits from producers of nursery plants and typical flora. It starts in Piedmont, focusing on acidophilic plants, and moves through Liguria, specialising in aromatic flowers and succulents and Sardinia, Marche, Campania, Apulia Calabria, ending in Sicily. Emilia will participate with its tourist district. The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) will celebrate the small hamlets and pay tribute to the Unknown Soldier. Genoa, Rome, Sanremo, Imperia, Andora, Savona, Cogoleto, Bogliasco, Sori, Campo Ligure, the United Municipalities of Valle Scrivia, and Ovada are participating individually.

With a strong commitment to sustainability, many exhibitors will donate their plants to be replanted in public green areas in the city and the Region at the end of Euroflora 2022.

NOVELTIES, RARITIES, AND CURIOSITIES ON DISPLAY More than 300 organisations are also bringing success to Euroflora 2022 and will showcase their products.

The “Rosa di Genova” (Genoa rose), born thanks to the cooperation between Genoa Garden Club and NIRP International, will debut at Euroflora: a bushy rose with large white and red flowers, the symbolic colours of the city of Genoa.

Beautiful, strong, reblooming, and resilient to changes in climate, it will become a cheerful symbol of the Ligurian capital in gardens and parks worldwide.

From the cultivations of Echecactus Flor, a company based in Bordighera and specialising in succulents, comes the new “Echeveria Serena”, patented with the company owner’s daughter’s name.

“Petunia Allegra”, presented by the Farao company as part of the Regione Campania collective exhibition at Villa Grimaldi, will also make its official debut. This is the first 100% double-flowered petunia that can be used as a cut flower; the variants are white, purple, pink, salmon pink and two-tone.

“The dream of an Italian tea” sums up the essence of the participation of the Compagnia del Lago of Verbania.

Visitors capturing the beauty of the gardens on camera.

For the past ten years, it has been cultivating the first sizeable European tea plantation in the Alps, on the shores of Lake Maggiore, after meeting a family of Florentine entrepreneurs committed to finding the best tea in the world.

As for citrus fruits, the most intriguing news comes from the Cinelli Nurseries group, made up of five companies from Tuscany and Sardinia, and from the Sicily Region group. The former will delight visitors with Sa Pompìa, a variety of lemon endemic to the Siniscola area of Sardinia, one of the rarest citrus fruits in the world, rediscovered only a few years ago. Inedible when raw, it is an excellent natural remedy and the main ingredient in the traditional dessert Sa pompìa intrea; in a jam, liqueur, and to make s’aranzata thinoscolesa, a typical wedding cake made of candied peel and almonds. The latter will showcase the fingerlime or Microcitrus australasica, typical of Australia’s eastern subtropical coastal area, successfully cultivated in Sicily and commonly known in Italy as Limone Caviale or Citrus Caviar due to its round juice-filled vesicles, resembling caviar. With its unique flavour and the beauty of its pulp, it is used as an ingredient in all kinds of culinary preparations, from simple dishes to gourmet ones.

This citrus fruit has antiseptic properties, aids digestion, and is

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sage cultivars, the result of research carried out by the Sanremo-based CREA – the Italian Research Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis – will be displayed in the area designed by the University of Genoa’s Degree Course in Landscape Architecture.

POSITIVE TRENDS IN CHALLENGING TIMES

refreshing and diuretic. It provides good amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid and potassium.

Among the botanical peculiarities on the show are the baby plants of Milone Nurseries of Lamezia Terme, within the collective exhibition of the Italian Nursery Association. Born in micropropagation laboratories, these are miniature plants, often smaller than the fruit they will be able to generate once they become the average size and will display in small pots or test tubes.

The Beigua Park has several exclusive, protected endemic plant varieties.

These include the Bertoloni violet, the Voltri Peverina (Cerastium utriense), the Aquilegia of the ophiolites, and the Daphne odorosa (Daphne cneorum), the tiny pink flower that is the symbol of the Park. These are the serpentinophytes, plants that grow on the “green rocks”, and the ophiolite rocky sub-layer typical of the Geopark.

A real gem awaits in the exhibition area of the Bonsai Art School. It is “The Woods of the Woods”, in Japanese Yose-ue, a collection of “Bonsai Woods” belonging to the collector Giovanni Genotti of Turin, one of the first and best-known Italian bonsai artists. Consisting of grouped plants that represent the harmony and balance found in nature in the woods, it features plants coming exclusively from Italian tree species, both from nurseries and located in the wild (yamadori).

An extraordinary collection of 20

Euroflora 2022 is an event to celebrate and support the horticultural industry through these challenging times. Census data from Mipaaf, Istituto Crea, ISTAT and Trade Data Monitor was processed by the Italian Trade and Investment Agency (ICE) to show that nursery gardens were initially one of the markets most affected by the pandemic. Still, after a rebound that began in 2020, it registered a record increase of 33% in exports of Italian plants in the first quarter of 2021, a trend that continued in the following months. Today, the unknown factor is tied to recent increases in raw materials and energy prices, potentially slowing growth. The 28 European countries are the primary outlet market for Italian products (84 per cent). The countries where the percentage of exports has increased the most are France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, and Romania. The main import markets for Italy are the Netherlands, firmly in the lead, followed by Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, and Greece. The ISTAT census also shows that approximately 24,000 companies produce ornamental plants in Italy, of which 15,000 grow flowers, and potted plants and 8,000 are nursery gardens.

They mainly concentrate on four regions: Liguria, Lombardy, Tuscany, and Campania. For nursery gardening, based on ministerial data, Tuscany, Lombardy, and Sicily are in the top three positions, while for plant and flower markets, Liguria, Sicily and Campania rank highest.

Italy’s flower and plant growing sector accounts for five per cent of the national agricultural GDP, with a turnover of 2.8 billion euros and a related industry production chain that employs over 100,000 specialised operators.

Euroflora 2022 counts on meaningful

Euroflora 2022 engages the public with horticulture.

partnerships to celebrate the importance of flowers and plants to uplift wellbeing and mitigate climate change. The Euroflora 2022 organising team include the Italian Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF), the Italian Association of Nursery Exporters (ANVE), the Italian Association of cut flower growers, florists and floral designers (AFFI), the Italian Trade and Investment Agency (ICE) and the Italian Garden Centre Association (AICG).

Mauro Ferrando, President of Porto Antico di Genova SpA and a Euroflora 2022 organising team member, says, “We are proud to present the details of Euroflora 2022, the result of a process that started in 2020 with AIPH’s international approval. The Liguria Region’s classification of Euroflora as an international horticultural show has been rewarded by the high quality of the exhibitors of this 12th edition.”

He adds: “For two weeks the spotlight will be on a market that, after the recent and traumatic standstill caused by the lockdown, has witnessed a brilliant recovery in exports, which have so far increased by over 30% and which we hope will continue to grow despite the rising costs of energy and raw materials.

The sixteen days of Genoa will be the ideal time to present the state of the art of the industry and its innovations and excellences to the public, to garden enthusiasts, and to people of the trade.”

For Euroflora’s opening hours, ticket prices, and travel information www.euroflora.genova.it

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Green City Post MESSAGE RECEIVED: LOUD AND CLEAR The AIPH-approved World Horticultural Expo, Floriade 2022, delivers important messages about the

AUTHOR & PHOTOS: DR AU DR EY TIMM , TECHNICAL ADVISOR , AIPH

power of plants for the survival of the planet, and the health and comfort of city residents.

Plant labels identify plants and plant combinations in each zone

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he theme of Floriade 2022, ‘Growing Green Cities’ demonstrates the creative, green, sustainable solutions required to make resilient green cities a reality. There are many ways that Floriade 2022 presents these messages to appeal to a wide audience, along with the reasons about why they matter, and what individuals and businesses can address.

The first message that the anticipated two million visitors to the Expo receive is the positive experience of being surrounded by the beauty and diversity of nature. The 60 ha site has expo has international and national pavilions

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and gardens that align with the four sub-themes: Greening the City: more greenery; Feeding the City: improved food supplies; Healthying the City: more conscious living; Energising the City: smarter energy supplies.

Around the Expo site there are many deliberate messages about plants and the evidence-based contributions that they make to our urban lives. Planting of the 180.000 perennials and 90.000 shrubs across the site is arranged in alphabetical groupings of the first letter of their botanical name. This intriguing idea of the Green City Arboretum was lead by Niek Roozen in collaboration with the Municipality of Almere and Jacqueline van der Kloet.

UAE Pavilion at Floriade Expo 2022, Salt Water Cities: where land meets sea.

Plant labels identify plants and plant combinations in each zone, enabling visitors to learn the names of plants that they like, and how to use them in gardens.

Trees have labels that describe their specific value, including the ability to moderate the warming of the built environment (Fraxinus mandsurica ‘Macan’), having flowers that attract bumble bees (Aesculus neglecta), to extract nitrogen dioxides from the air (Malus trilobata), or that are tolerant of heat and drought (Firmania simplex). QR

A bird’s eye view above Floriade Expo 2022

codes are printed on plant labels for those who would like to know more. The codes link to a Floriade website that provides more detail about the growing conditions and characteristics of each plant.

At the international pavilions, visitors can experience the landscape and plants of different climatice zones.

All the plants in the Italy pavilion are produced by Italian nurseries, and demonstrate a contemporary Mediterranean garden. Beyond the visual messages, the Qatar pavilion immerses visitors in traditions and culture that enable horticulture to thrive in a hostile climate. The UAE pavilion has interactive imagery to get the message across about how science is providing evidence of the value of halophytic plants, showcasing the work of the International Centre of Biosaline Agriculture. ‘Biotopia’, the pavilion of Germany includes interactive installations to engage visitors in the questions and solutions of energy, water, and greenery in cities.

Starting long before the opening of the Expo, the Floriade Dialogues were a series of webinars that explored the challenges that cities face and innovative solutions that are being developed and implemented. These webinars address a number of topics that all consider how to accelerate green innovation. The webinars continue through the six month duration of Floriade 2022, and include a Green City conference on 4th and 5th July 2022 that focusses on long term thinking for decision making in the current urban state of short term problems.

There is also a message of collaboration and cooperation in planning and planting the site, with tree nurseries around the Netherlands supplying tens of thousands of plants. Local nurseries collaborated to act as drop-off points which made transport of this large number of plants to the site more efficient.

Floriade 2022 is open until 9th October 2022. This expo delivers many messages, but the key message here is to encourage you to visit and see for yourself. It is an impressive display.

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E XPOSURE

Expo 2022 Floriade is ready to showcase a greener future today Dutch King and guests witness the importance of ornamental horticulture to help create an

(left) Floriade Expo 2022 Official opening

by King Willem Alexander (Below) The Dutch Nature Pavilion.

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG PHOTOS: RON VAN DER PLOEG & ROBIN UTRECHT

urban future with nature at the opening ceremony of Expo 2022 Floriade Amsterdam Almere.

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The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) attended the opening of Expo 2022 Floriade Almere-Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 13 April. For the next six months until 9 October, this AIPH Approved World Horticultural Exhibition will demonstrate the theme of Growing Green Cities.

Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink, commissioner-general of Floriade Expo 2022 said: “With this edition of Floriade we present themes for the future. Appealing for the current and for the next generation. Where living in green cities will be possible and we will have sustainable solutions for our food production.”

According to Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, mayor of Almere, “Almere is a green city and moreover a city with a young spirit. Not being hindered by ingrained patterns. Which makes it viable, open-minded and full of imagination. And with more than 160 different cultures it is also a very international city. That is why Almere and Floriade make a perfect combination. Floriade Expo 2022 is one big collection of international horticultural innovations. With the

theme ‘Growing Green Cities’ it offers solutions to make cities greener, healthier, more sustainable and enjoyable for the young and the old.”

The youth formed a central subject in the opening speeches of the minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) Henk Staghouwer, the secretary general of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) Dimitri Kerkentzes and in special video messages of Floriade alderman Jan Hoek, deputy Jan-Nico Appelman, chairman of the Dutch Horticulture Council (NTR) Kees van Rooij and the president of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) Bernard Oosterom. On this Expo it all comes together which makes it a fizzling event with blooming talent.

FOOD FORUM, THE VOICE OF URBAN NATURE AND THE NATURE PAVILION In the Food Forum, a pavilion of the Flevoland province, entrepreneurs, students, and researchers collaborate to create new ideas regarding future food production.

In the pavilion ‘The Voice of Urban Nature’, the municipalities of Amsterdam and Almere show visitors

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how to build a green city of the future, together with their inhabitants.

The Dutch Nature Pavilion, the pavilion of the national government of the Netherlands, is all about the future of sustainable and circularity housing. The pavilion has been constructed using hundreds of bio-based materials.

The public can stick their heads through a giant hydrangea ball.

SURINAME PAVILION Designed by Dynamic Spaces Architects and built by horticultural engineering company Bransen Group, the 500m2 Suriname pavilion is one of Floriade’s eyecatchers because of its different roof heights.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), construction materials are responsible for more than one-third of global resource consumption and approximately 30 per cent of the worldwide energy (The International Source Panel, The weight of cities 2018). With this in mind, all parties involved in the Suriname pavilion committed themselves to a more circular approach to reducing emissions and waste.

However, the reduce-remake-recycle principles and the requirements for a structure’s mechanical resistance, stability, and serviceability do not always go perfectly hand in hand.

That’s why Bransen Group opted for a new substructure and recycled up-structure, incorporating used trusses and a greenhouse deck.

Second generation Luc Bransen, who with his brothers Niels and Roy run the Bransen Group, told FCI that Suriname’s home at Floriade serves quintessentially as a country pavilion that highlights the nation’s (Horti) culture, people, climate and cuisine.

Giant LED screens on the outer part of the greenhouse structure will help tell the story of one of South America’s smallest countries.

THE SHADES OF NATURE PAVILION This pavilion blends water, wool, sunlight and natural dyes. Colours of the Sun showcases how the sun transforms hand-knitted white woollen miniature sheep inside each 750 preserving jars containing natural dyes.

The pavilion’s back wall provides a stark contrast to the ecologically sound fashion industry. It is built

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with discarded textiles, showing how overproduction and ‘fast fashion’ frustrate the natural cycle resulting in a waste of raw materials and energy.

that there is no better place to run an interactive display inside what Floriade says is an ‘experiential glasshouse’.

Members of the public can stick their heads through a giant hydrangea ball. Inside, a tunable LED system demonstrates the impact of colours on their mood and how they perceive the world.

Magical Hydrangea’s installation is a form of clever marketing as it aims to have consumers actively interact with the alternating colour component of the Magical Hydrangea brand.

Members of the Magical family produce masses of blooms that magically change colour at least three or four times a year.

Magical Hydrangeas are grown by a select few growers across Europe. They are produced in the Netherlands by The Mastergrowers and De Jong Plant and in the UK by Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford.

EATTHIS FLORIADE PROVIDES MAGICAL MOMENTS Floriade bursts with colours. The Green House, for example, hosts a stunning display of Magical Hydrangea, a line of hassle-free, colour-changing indoor (five varieties) and outdoor (14 varieties) hydrangeas.

Comms manager Sandra Vijverberg-Van der Knaap explains

A mock-up Growing Space Command Centre

EatThis is a global network of 40 privately owned horticultural companies. It seeks to bridge the increasing rural and urban divide by emphasising the link between hi-tech horticulture and a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

Last year, the business consortium made the headlines with its tomato growing module on Fifth Avenue

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The interactive Biotopia

in front of New York’s Guggenheim Museum. The installation was part of the museum’s Countryside, The Future, an exhibit presented by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Countryside The Future opened on 20 February 2020 but shut down only three weeks later when New York went into lockdown. But those passing on Fifth Avenue could still peep through the glass window of the growing container. Inside, indoor crops specialist David Litvin controlled daily temperature, humidity and (LED) light levels of the cherry tomato crop grown on the substrate. In an ironic twist of fate, the pandemic clarified how crucial agriculture is in an rapidly urbanising world, particularly when global supply chains are disrupted.

That is ‘agtech’, the type of farmfresh agriculture, pesticide-free and technically advanced, using fewer natural resources.

More or less, the same message is replicated inside EatThis’ Innovation Centre, hosted inside Floriade’s Green House. The consortium hired Stephan Petermann and Marieke van den Heuvel of MANN, a hands-on concept and content developer.

They translated EatThis’s story: “Innovative technologies and sustainable production of healthy food go hand in hand, creating a world in which healthy food production is abundant and accessible to all, and

good for the planet and its people”into an interactive and engaging exhibit. This interpretation involves a ‘dismembered’ greenhouse floating above the ground. The idea is to teach visitors how each greenhouse component forms an unmissable link.

The hi-tech growing environment has bat-like drones to keep crops pestfree, geothermal energy for fossil-free heating, and PAR+, a newly developed spray coating applied on greenhouse windows to convert harmful UV into diffuse PAR light.

The diffuse light also enters the lower parts of the crop and, as such, improves crop yields. Moreover, PAR+ coating lasts for around eight years, making the seasonal whitewash on the greenhouse no longer necessary.

Apart from its ecological message, the EatThis exhibit is meant to lure the in-demand young engineers to a sector which suffers a chronic labour shortage.

A mock-up Growing Space Command Centre, for example, shows how today’s horticulture is using AI and robotics in autonomous greenhouses, enabling growers to oversee more hectares and realise higher yields.

GERMANY’S BIOTOPIA Germany’s country pavilion – aka Biotopia - is arguably the Floriade’s most interactive and dynamic exhibit. It combines contemporary

horticulture with a resource-sensitive, two-storey wooden pavilion.

When cutting the ribbon during the opening of the German Garden, the Commissioner-General of the German participation, Mr Karl Wessels PhD of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), said: “In terms of climate change, Floriade gives an important impulse to sustainability, greening and with that, liveable cities.”

The showcase is built around four sub-themes: ‘Green’, ‘Food’, ‘Health’ and ‘Energy’, enabling children and their parents to discover future issues through play. Upon entering the German Garden, visitors are given a smart bracelet with which they can activate components of the exhibition and collect icons as a reward. Visitors can lend a hand by watering water plant models installed in the ceiling using a pulley or activating energy wheels by pedalling a bike.

In an interactive water feature garden with a pump, a water cycle can be set in motion, water wheels can be activated, and visitors can put spillways (for overflow) underwater.

Visitors can join others in trying to find stability on the Balance Board.

That way, there’s an equilibrium between the renewable energy sources for an environmentally friendly supply to the city of the future.

The theme room ‘Local Food’ revolves around innovative strategies for sustainable food production and conscious food consumption. And a connection is made between sustainable agriculture and alternative methods of growing in the city. Two periscopes help to demonstrate this.

Visitors take a virtual trip from the traditional food production in rural areas to the future of food production in the cities. German restaurant EATTOPIA serves vegan, vegetarian and traditional German dishes and drinks.

THE CLUBHOUSE OF THE DUTCH GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY Spanning more than one hectare and a length of 170 metres, the Green House is the Expo’s largest exhibit. The structure’s design is striking, inspired by the Crystal Palace, built in London in 1851.

The Green House incorporates different glass and mirrors, creating

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Floriade CEO Hans Bakker, Floriade’s Secretary General AnnemarieJorritsma and Kees van Rooij, President of the Dutch Horticulture Council, joined forces in the opening ceremony of the Green House.

surprising and remarkable lighting effects.

It has 10,000m2 floor space and a 170 metres long boardwalk offering views overlooking gerberas in all colours of the rainbow, tasty strawberries and bell peppers and amazing anthuriums.

The ‘Clubhouse of the Dutch greenhouse industry’ offers an eclectic mix of B2B and B2C, a place where the industry comes together for congresses and events.

The venue equally increases knowledge and closes the gap between producers and end consumers on sustainable practices, innovative greenhouse technology and outcomes.

The Green House will feature 13 alternating flower and plant shows during Floriade’s six month period.

Growers of flowers and plants exhibit their best products and have them reviewed by a professional panel of expert judges and public vote.

On 14 April, Floriade CEO Hans Bakker, Floriade’s Secretary General Annemarie-Jorritsma and Kees van Rooij, President of the Dutch Horticulture Council, joined forces in the opening ceremony of the Green House, whose terrace-shaped layout forms a playful backdrop.

BEEHOLD Standing 12 metres tall is the ‘Beehold’ artwork by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, who inspired the busy bee world. Bees are under threat worldwide: species are disappearing,

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and numbers are decreasing, whilst 80 per cent of the plants we consume depend on bees for pollination. The artist designed ‘Beehold’ in keeping with a centuries-old tradition of bee bearding, as it consists of two figures entirely enveloped by bees. The work of art is made of COR-TEN steel and consists of tens of thousands of bees and a single queen.

The artwork refers to ‘beholding’ and to ‘holding’ as humanity should save the bees for the future. The work is about the relationship between bees and humankind, about connection. It’s about equilibrium and a respectful relationship between humans and animals and our complex

interrelationship with nature. This impressive artwork will be one of the Floriade’s legacies as it will permanently stay in Almere’s future Hortus residential area.

TREE ART Playing on the Van Gogh motif is the show garden of Treeport, a cooperative of 115 tree growers from West Brabant and Northern Kempen striving for a healthy and balanced tree nursery industry. The aim is to put Zundert on the map as one of Europe’s epicentres of tree production.

The Van Gogh theme is no coincidence as the famed painter was born in Zundert on 30 March 1853.

GREEN CITY ARBORETUM Famed landscape designer Niek Roozen from the Netherlands put his signature upon a bold planting scheme with the Green City Arboretum as a shining example of the city’s green development.

Floriade’s botanical collection will contain 750 tree genera, 90,000 shrubs and 200,000 perennials planted in alphabetical order.

Pictured is the letter of the arboretum’s B-section, including Lageschaar Perennials’Wild at Heart garden and highlighting Bergenia and BetterBuxus, a range of scientificallybred blight-resistant boxwood grown

by Herplant

The Van Gogh Theme.

E XPOSURE

Beehold. artwork by Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman.

Wild at Heart garden.

Look Out by Will Beckers.

IT’S ABOUT EQUILIBRIUM AND A RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS AND OUR COMPLEX INTERRELATIONSHIPS WITH NATURE

Green Island.

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The entrance to the Japanese pavilion.

OFF PARK PISTE Arguably one of the best places to admire nature in its very essence is the Green Island and Utopia districts,

tucked away in the Expo’s hinterland and far away from the hustle and bustle of the country pavilions and congress centres.

Green Island’s Roots exhibit reminds visitors that Almere is a very young and dynamic city with many firsts and loads of stories of those who came to live here on reclaimed land.

The trees here were planted 45 years ago and are now deeply rooted in Almere’s soil. The photo expo tries to answer how this works for people. Do they also take root? Roots showcase the rich diversity of the people of Almere, with stunningly 193 different immigration backgrounds. Roots tell the story of the people who have settled in Almere.

Green Island and Utopia offer a peaceful mix of wild forest and delicately landscaped areas, and Utopia includes a food forest, agroforestry and a schoolyard.

One of the island’s highlights is the Look Out by artist Will Beckers.

The installation grants a view of the city of Almere, a green city in the making, from the green Utopia island.

JAPAN REIGNS SUPREME Japan is the supreme winner at the first of 13 scheduled awards ceremonies at the Floriade Expo 2022.

The awards recognise and promote the very best in ornamentals production undertaken by Dutch growers and their counterparts abroad, judged by a panel of expert judges and public votes.

The inaugural Floriade Awards Ceremony coincided with the official opening of what, over the coming 180 days, will be the home of 13 alternating flower and plants shows: the Green House.

The awards are a celebration of the high standards achieved by growers worldwide who demonstrate their commitment to quality flower and plant growing by participating in the Floriade contests.

The Expo’s giant glasshouse kicked off on Thursday, 14 April, with a combined flower show featuring the cream of the crop in bulb flowers, spring blooms, miscellaneous and forced spring shrubs. Marco van Zijverden, the former CEO of the Dutch Flower Group, was at hand to present the awards.

In the bulb flowers category,

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VO I C ES

FLORIADE: BREEDERS’ GROWING RIGHTS...

GREEN CITIES A VALUABLE LOOK TOWARDS ASSET? A ‘BIOTOPIA’ FUTURE John Ingwersen graduated with a degree in Bernard Oosterom marketing is from a former Georgetown tropical University plant grower, in 1990, former chairman andoffounded Royal FloraHolland Jungle Jack’s,and Inc.isincurrently 1995. president of AIPH.

Toyoma Prefecture scooped up the bronze and gold trophies for Tulipa ‘Kitsurugi’ and Tulipa ‘Otome No Dress’, respectively.

In the same category Allium ‘Dancing Tancho’, submitted

by JA Group Kumamoto Allium Technical Committee, won silver.

In the spring blooms, the miscellaneous category again took out all trophies. Bronze went to Astilbe ‘Light Blue’ grown by JA Nagasaki, silver to Actinotus helianthi ‘Fancy Marie’ submitted by Gifu Agricultural Research Centre and gold for Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Wataboushi’ from Nagano-based Flower Spirit Ltd. Finally, in the forced spring shrubs category, Dutch grower Jan ten Hoeve from Aalsmeerbased www.seringen.nl dominated the competition, winning bronze, silver and gold for Syringa vulgaris ‘Monument’,

Syringa vulgaris ‘Edith Braun’ and Syringa vulgaris ‘Lucie Baltet’ respectively. Ten Hoeve also snatched up the Floriade Excellence Award, sponsored by Stimuflori. Via his mobile phone, Ten Hoeve excused himself for not being present as he is in the mid of the peak sales season.

However, Marco van Zijverden home-delivered all four trophies later in the evening.

The award-winning Japanese blooms can also be admired in the Japan pavilion on the Expo’s grounds. It took inspiration from the traditional ecological lifestyle in which gardens, farmland and forest are closely connected.

The theme ‘Satoyama’ refers to an area that consists of farmland, irrigation ponds, woodlands and grasslands surrounding cities and towns.

Inside the pavilion, there are daily Ikebana demonstrations.

THE AWARDS ARE A CELEBRATION OF THE HIGH STANDARDS ACHIEVED

BY GROWERS WORLDWIDE

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my The Dutch city entire of Almere soul, is only like athese few decades sweet old, mornings boasts over of spring 200,000 inhabitants which and I enjoy is stillwith growing myaswhole part ofheart. the Amsterdam I am alone, Metropolitan and Area.feel It sits the four charm metres ofbelow existence sea level in this on the spot, landwhich reclaimed from was Ijsselmeer createdlake for in the thebliss 1950s of and souls 1960s. like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite The city will, for sense 179 of days, mere playtranquil the perfect existence, host to what thatisIessentially neglect my a theme parktalents. with country I should pavilions, be incapable a giant greenhouse, of drawing beautifully a single designed show stroke gardens, at the woodlands presentand moment; art installations, and yet all I feel builtthat I around the Expo’s nevereco was theme a greater Growing artist Green than Cities. now.

Floriade When, is the while brand name for thethis lovely A1 World valley Horticultural teems with Expo,vapour which has around occurred me, in the Netherlands and the every meridian ten yearssun since strikes the firstthe AIPH-approved upper surface Expo of in Rotterdam the in 1960. impenetrable Every Floriade foliage brings ofsomething my trees,new, and and but athe few 2022 edition is stray no different. gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling Floriade started stream; with a and, dreamaswhich I lie close has now to become the earth, a reality. a thousand The Expo offers so unknown much more plants than flowers, are noticed plants byand me:gardens when Ialone. hear the It explores what buzz “growing of the green little world cities” can among look the like stalks, and is a and shining grow example of how familiar agriculture withcan thehelp countless find solutions indescribable to the strong forms of sustainability the challenge insects theand planet flies, andthen we all I feel face.the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and An anticipated the audience breath.of two million people will learn about the benefits of natural A wonderful building materials. serenityFloriade has taken brings possession nature closer of to my people and makes entire the soul, economic like these value of sweet naturemornings much moreof visible. spring In particular, the which younger I enjoy generations with my will whole see andheart. learn how I am their alone, future will be supported and feel the by charm making of more existence use of nature’s in thissecrets spot, which and possibilities. No was longer created a utopia for the but bliss a biotopia of souls in fulllike development mine. I am and so can make ourhappy, everyday mylife dear more friend, sustainable. so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my Floriade brings talents. differentI should generations be incapable and peopleof from drawing all disciplines a single together to address strokethe at the mostpresent significant moment; global challenges. and yet I It’s feela that placeI where policymakers, never was businesses, a greater scientists artist than and students now. When, convene while to work on practical the lovely solutions. valley The presence teems with of heads vapour of state, around ministers, me, ambassadorsand andthe other meridian dignitaries sun confirms strikes thethe importance upper surface of an of event like this.the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw World Horticultural Expos such as Floriade want to leave a profound myself down among the tall grass by the trickling legacy. I realise stream; this may and, sound as Ivery lie close ambitious. to the However, earth, Iaam thousand confident thatunknown future generations plants are willnoticed appreciate

by Floriade me: when 2022 I hear as athe pivotal moment, buzz anof Expo thethat little genuinely world among made athe difference. stalks, Aand Floriade grow that helped influence familiar decision-making with the countless for sustainability, indescribable an event forms thatof ultimately led the to much greener, healthier, energetic and eco-friendly insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the cities and their Almighty, residents. who formed us in his own image, and the breath.

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SAVE THE DATE

M AY 2 0 2 2

UK

1 APRIL-29 OCTOBER. TURKEY

The UK’s National Plant Show will be back, bigger and better

Expo 2021 Hatay. www.expo2021hatay.com

14 APRIL- 9 OCTOBER. THE NETHERLANDS Floriade Expo 2022. www.floriade.com

23 APRIL – 8 MAY. ITALY Euroflora 2022 in Genova. www.euroflora.genova.it

10-12. CHINA Flower Expo Asia at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. www.flowerexpochina.com

14-16. CHINA Hortiflorexpo IPM China. www.hfexpo.org www.ipm-essen.de/ weltleitmesse/ipm-worldwide/ hortiflorexpo-ipm/

24-28. UNITED KINGDOM Chelsea Flower Show. www.rhs.org.uk

30 MAY – 1 JUNE. KENYA IFTEX, International Floriculture Trade Expo at Nairobi’s Oshwal Center.

The HTA is excited to announce that the National Plant Show will be back, bigger and better than ever in 2022. The show will run from Tuesday 21 to Wednesday 22 June at NAEC Stoneleigh, United Kingdom.

With over 100 stands booked, across both halls NPS 2022 is not to be missed. It is shaping up to be a fantastic show, providing British companies the opportunity to showcase everything from seeds, bulbs, house plants and a wide range of garden plants to labelling and product information, growing media, display benching and machinery.

Following the success of the Virtual New Plant Awards in 2020 & 2021, the organisers cannot wait to physically run the 2022 New Plant Awards. With the interest in plants and gardening at an all-time high, these new varieties will provide the perfect burst of colour

Year awards ceremony will take place on 14 June 2022 at GreenTech Amsterdam.

The awards recognise best practice in horticulture by the top ornamental production nurseries from around the globe, celebrating the expertise and energy they give to horticulture.

Assembly, company visits and a trip to Floriade Expo. www.isu-perennials.org

14-20. FRANCE International Horticultural Congress, IHC2022 in Angers, France. www.ihc2022.org

24-25. THE NETHERLANDS

in Angers, France. www.salonduvegetal.com

13-15. IRAN 5th International Congress hosted by the Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP).

5th National and International Congress on Flower and Ornamental Plants

www.hpp.nl

www.aiph.org/event/ igoty-2022/

JUNE 2022

21-22. UNITED KINGDOM

7-10. THE NETHERLANDS

The National Plant Show at NAEC Stoneleigh.

www.plantariumgroendirekt.nl

www.nationalplantshow.co.uk

24-26. UNITED STATES

28-30. UNITED KINGDOM

Farwest is the biggest green industry show in the West.

21-23. ITALY

www.farwestshow.com

www.flormart.it

Dutch Lily Days www.dutchlilydays.nl

8-10. UNITED STATES World Floral Expo at the Jacob J. Javits Center of New York. www.hpp.nl

GLEE at NEC Birmingham. www.gleebirmingham.com

14-17. THE NETHERLANDS

4-7. THE NETHERLANDS

FlowerTrials®, an open house event for the pot and bedding plant industry.

Growing Green Cities conference at Floriade Expo.

14-16. THE NETHERLANDS Greentech, the world’s leading horticultural technology show.

www.floriade.com

16-19. UNITED STATES Cultivate’22 will be held in Columbus, Ohio. www.cultivateevent.org

www.greentech.nl

14. THE NETHERLANDS International Grower of the Year Awards 2022. After postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Grower of the

FLORACULTURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2022

Plantarium/Groen-Direkt at the International Trade Centre in Hazerswoude/Boskoop.

SEPTEMBER 2022 J U LY 2 0 2 2

www.flowertrials.com

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and interest for garden retailers promoting our industry.

For more information www.nationalplantshow. co.uk

1-3. POLAND Green is Life Poland’s leading nursery trade fair in Warsaw. www.greenislife.pl

www.isopcongress.ir

13-15. RUSSIA FlowersExpo at Moscow’s Crocus Expo. www.flowers-expo.ru

Flormart in Padua, Italy

28-29. UNITED KINGDOM The Landscape Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. www.landscapeshow.co.uk

6-7. UNITED KINGDOM

O C TO B E R 2 0 2 2

Four Oaks Trade Show in Cheshire.

5-7. ECUADOR

www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com

Agriflor at the Centro de Exposiciones in Quito.

7-9. THE NETHERLANDS

www.hpp.nl

AU G U S T 2 0 2 2

Holland Dahlia Event

7-11. THE NETHERLANDS International Horticultural ISU Summer Days, annual gathering of the International Hardy Plant Union including General

www.hollanddahliaevent.com

NOVEMBER 2022

9-11. THE NETHERLANDS 13-15. FRANCE Salon du Végétal at the Parc des Expositions

IFTF at Haarlemmermeer Expo in Vijfhuizen. www.hppexhibitios.com

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AIPH

INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR

2022 Who will win?

Come and join a celebration of the best of the best in ornamental horticulture at the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards 2022, held at GreenTech Amsterdam from 6pm on 14th June. Book your tickets now for an evening of celebration, food, drink and the opportunity to network with industry leaders.

Purchase your tickets:

aiph.org/event/igoty-2022 Sponsored by: