Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Education in Norway
A sanctuary for green design and floral expertise Vea, Norway’s State School for gardeners and horticulturists (Statens fagskole for gartnere og blomsterdekoratører), has clearly carved out its position as the leading institution within floristry, horticulture and green design in Norway. It not only attracts future leaders within the field, but has also received national and international acclaim. By Maria Lanza Knudsen | Photos: Vea - Statens fagskole for gartnere og blomsterdekoratører.
Situated on the rolling banks of Norway’s largest lake, Mjøsa, Vea has a long history that stretches back to 1923, when it was established as a horticultural school for women. More recently, in 2007, the school received accreditation as a tertiary training institution and, in 2012, it 54 | Issue 82 | November 2015
received approval for presenting degrees and certificates of apprenticeship within the discipline of green design and environmental studies. The name Vea is presumed to derive from the Old Norse word ‘Ve’, meaning
sanctuary, as it is located just 100 metres north of Tolvsteinsringen, the historic Twelve Stones Ring made up of 12 boulders arranged in a circle. Today, the institution is a sanctuary for horticultural and floral design studies and a place of devotion for artists, artisans, designers and professionals in the green sector. “Since Vea’s inception, it has become well known for its expertise nationally and internationally as a tertiary vocational college producing florists, horticulturists, landscape gardeners, and other professionals in the green sector,”