Floriade 2012 World Horticultural Expo Garden Tour Including Keukenhof April 19th - 27th, 2012

Yes, it is in 2012 but Floriade happens only ONCE EVERY TEN YEARS so make sure you have your spot reserved on this special tour as it is already over 50% Booked!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 20, 2010 – Yes, it is in 2012 but Floriade happens only ONCE EVERY TEN YEARS so make sure you have your spot reserved on this special tour as it is already over 50% Booked! Visitors to Floriade 2012 in Venlo will have the opportunity to enjoy the world's most exquisite and exceptional flowers, plants, trees, fruits and vegetables. At Floriade 2012 you will experience nature. Using the senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell you will experience firsthand the influence horticulture has on the quality of our daily lives. Floriade is a World Horticultural Expo staged once every ten years in the Netherlands. Sustainable, pioneering architectural eye catchers, as never seen before, will be shown for the first time at Floriade 2012. With countless exciting, innovative and educational attractions and activities, various restaurants and friendly, welcoming cafes you will love your day at Floriade.

Our Spring Tour Includes:

Keukenhof at its most beautiful! An unprecedented wealth of spectacular floral displays planted in endless varieties, alternated with beautiful works of art. Keukenhof is unique, world famous and has been one of the most popular destinations in the Netherlands for many years now.

Hortus Bulborum - with its 4,200 spring-flowering historical bulbs. This collection consists primarily of tulips, narcissus and hyacinths, but there is also a small number of Fritillaria and crocus, primarily the C.vernus types. The Fritillaria persica on display was already in cultivation as early as 1577, while the oldest narcissus is several centuries older yet. The garden, therefore, provides a fascinating overview of these immensely popular spring bloomers grown through the centuries.

Van Gogh Museum - A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. The museum contains the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artist's developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century in the collection.

Afternoon Canal Cruise in Amsterdam - Enjoy the best cruise through 17th century Amsterdam. Holland’s capital has 160 canals and 1000 bridges. Experience Amsterdam from the water. Cruising through a number of Amsterdam’s canals, this cruise passes along some of the city’s most beautiful spots. While gliding through the old centre of the city you see elegant merchant’s mansions, carillon-crowned churches and the warehouses with their rich history from Holland’s Golden Age.

Aalsmeer Flower Auction - 'The world marketplace for flowers and plants' - Every day Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer sets the world price for flowers and plants. This happens by bringing supply and demand together by means of the auction clock- a fascinating process during which large and small batches of flowers are sold within fractions of seconds. Each day, 19 million flowers and two million plants are sold through 13 clocks at 'Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer'. It takes place within an area of almost one million m2.

Amsterdam Botanical Gardens – The Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. Today, there are more than 4,000 plant species growing in the garden and greenhouses. The Hortus is located in the Plantage district on the edge of the hectic center of Amsterdam. Behind the 300-year-old gates, however, the bustle of the city seems to disappear.

Paleis Het Loo - Paleis Het Loo is a palace, more than three hundred years old, right in the heart of the Netherlands, close to the town of Apeldoorn. The former royal residence has been open to the public since in 1984 after undergoing substantial restoration work. The sumptuously furnished interiors give an impression of how the Dutch royal family lived here for three centuries. The reconstructed gardens breathe the atmosphere of their seventeenth century origin with their fountains and elegantly box-lined parterres. The palace’s setting in one of Holland’s most beautiful nature areas makes a visit a real delight at any time of year.

This is a delightful spring tour and is already over 50% booked! … reserve your spot today. Much more of the tour can be seen at www.gardeningtours.com or email Donna at donna@icangarden.com

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Presenting unique garden tours around the world since 1998. ICanGarden.com is Canada's largest Internet gardening resource site and has been providing free information to gardeners of all experience levels from amateur to master gardeners since 1996. Donna Dawson, a master gardener and formerly from St. Albert Alberta Canada, now residing in Panama City, Panama is a co-author of three gardening books.

www.gardeningtours.com is their tours only site where you will find unique and very special tours for gardeners and lovers of gardens.

Donna Dawson, Master Gardener

Director Region 7 Garden Writers Association
Affiliate Member Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors
Member North American Travel Journalists Association
http://www.ICanGarden.com
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Floriade 2012 At A Glance

Floriade Netherlands

When is it? Floriade is held during the summer in the Netherlands once every 10 years. The last one was held in 2002 and the next one will be in 2012.

Ticketing? Ticket prices aren’t posted yet.

Indoors/Outdoors, Facility? Outside with Marquees built for the occasion. Floriade is an international exhibition of flowers and gardening, held every 10 years in The Netherlands. The locations varies:

1960 – Rotterdam (Het Park)

1972 – Amsterdam (Amstelpark)

1982 – Amsterdam (Gaasperplas)

1992 – The Hague/Zoetermeer (Rokkeveen-West)

2002 – Haarlemmermeer (Haarlemmermeerse Bos/De Groene Weelde)

The next event is to be held:

• 2012 – Venlo: With the theme “Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life“.

The terrain chosen for the upcoming event also differs from previous events, being located in the South-Eastern quarter of the country, and not on drained land to the West.

Size?

• Duration: 180 days
• Period: April – October 2012
• Surface area: 66 hectares, of which 40 hectares of exhibition site
• At least 2 million visitors
• 90 Dutch exhibitors
• 25 international exhibitors
• Parking capacity 4500 and 200 touring cars
• Theme: ‘Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life!’
• Subthemes: Relax & heal, Green Engine, education & Innovation, Environment and World Show Stage

Organizer? Every ten year a new organization is founded for the organization of the Floriade. The traditional originator however is the Dutch Horticulture Council. In 2004 the Region Venlo has submitted an official petition, a bidbook. This petition met all the requirements and made Region Venlo the second originator of the Floriade 2012.

History? A good general discussion on the history of the Floriade can be found inGrounds for Review: The Garden Festival in Urban Planning and Design” by Andrew Theokas. The Floriade is a World Horticulture Fair. World Fairs are major international exhibitions that have taken place in various countries since 1851. They give nations the opportunity to sketch out a picture of their economic, social, cultural and technical development. A building or a work of art is often left behind, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Atomium in Brussels.

Responses to the show…My own opinion of the show – if I have been there…reviews, blog comments…whatever I can find from peoplewho have actually attended or participated: I went to the 2002 show. I have to say I didn’t find the show overly exciting. The site was too big and too open and to me didn’t seem to cocoon like a garden should. There was no sense of continuity in the show either. It all felt very plopped down in the middle of no-where and while a lot of effort went in to it there seemed to be just lots of elements that didn’t really come together for me. – So that is my review…not that great…but I have to make a caveat to this review…there may have been no way that I would have enjoyed my Floriade day. I was about 5 months pregnant, and my husband and I rented bikes to ride to the show (which was much further away from Amsterdam than it appears). Our ride to the show seems to take an eternity and the thought of the ride back was making me a very unenthusiastic attendee.

Here are some differing opinions and soe images from 2002.

1. Tree, 2. Flowerbeds, 3. Crayons, 4. Floriade From Above, 5. Floriade, 6. Floriade, 7. Den Haag (Zoetermeer)- Sample of Madurodam at Floriade, 8. Floriade 2002, 9. Floriade 2002, 10. Floriade 2002, 11. Floriade 2002, 12. Floriade 2002, 13. Floriade 2002, 14.Floriade 2002, 15. Floriade 2002

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Sodexo gastronomic partner

Sodexo will be the main strategic partner for the catering services at Floriade 2012. This was announced today in a joint declaration. The Floriade site will offer facilities including five themed restaurants, five kiosks and an international “Food Festival”. Sodexo will be responsible for managing all these facilities.

The contract was awarded to Sodexo following a two year selection procedure. Paul Beck, Managing Director of Floriade 2012, is convinced that Sodexo Prestige, the catering and events services division of the Sodexo group, will perfectly interpret the hospitality and catering concept of Floriade. “In Sodexo we have found a stable partner capable of making a fantastic contribution to the success of this Floriade, both at management and at strategic level. Sodexo is a large, international enterprise with an eye for detail, as well as being a company that highly values the regional and seasonal aspects of the resources it uses. Sodexo also enjoys an excellent reputation for its key commitment to sustainability: this complements our own philosophy perfectly.”

Hospitality and catering concept

Floriade has developed a concept for the hospitality and catering services. The Floriade aims to promote Dutch horticultural products using this concept as a platform. There is a heavy emphasis on regional and seasonal products.
The concept intends the hospitality and catering services to be an integral part of the total Floriade experience and not a separate element. Nutrition is one of the spearheads of this Floriade. Sodexo understood perfectly how best to interpret this theme in the experience provided by the restaurants, whereby the pricing was also a decisive aspect.

Regional focus
Hans Rijnierse, CEO of Sodexo is proud to be working in cooperation with Floriade. “In the interpretation of the hospitality concept and the range of products we will focus on sourcing and using regional and seasonal products. In addition, we will also be cooperating with a number of regional companies. As well as this, we will offer work to the hundreds of temporary employees needed to staff the catering facilities during Floriade. Together we are going to make this event a resounding success.”

The names of the local companies that will be participating in the hospitality programme will be announced shortly: the procedure has been completed.

Theme
The Floriade park is home to five themed zones. Each themed zone will have a restaurant offering an average of 600 seats. Additionally, each zone will feature a kiosk and mobile points of sale will be used on peak days.

The style and range offered by the restaurants and other hospitality outlets will reflect the different themes. For instance, the Relax & Heal zone - where relaxation and health are the focal points - will have an Asian style restaurant, with a menu including a selection of Thai dishes. On the avenue near the World Show Stage zone an international food festival showcasing dishes from kitchens all over the world and local products will be organised. In the Education & Innovation zone, where the leading role is for fruit and vegetables, the focus will be on typical, traditional Dutch products.

First flower bulbs planted

Last month the first flower bulbs for Floriade 2012 were planted. No fewer than 67,000 naturalising flower bulbs went into the soil in the Kapelbos in the Environment themed zone. They were joined by some 6700 perennials.

One of the designers of the flower bulb concept for the Floriade park is Jacqueline van der Kloet, in cooperation with the landscape architects at ARCADIS. In the Netherlands, Jacqueline van der Kloet has devised planting schemes for projects such as the Keukenhof, the Efteling, Artis and previous editions of Floriade. She has also worked on many major projects abroad.

In the autumn of 2011 more flower bulbs will be planted throughout the whole park.

China participates at Floriade 2012

The contract was signed today at the World Expo in Shanghai confirming China's participation at Floriade 2012. Part of the contract is that China will participate at Floriade with an exhibit of 1500 m2, which makes China one of the major participants at the World Horticulture Expo. The focus will be on ancient traditions and new innovation in Chinese horticulture. The further specifications of the exhibit will be detailed in the coming months.

Representatives of the China Flower Association signed the participation contract on behalf of the Chinese government in Happy Street, the Holland pavilion at the World Expo.

Managing Director Paul Beck and Commissioner General Dzsingisz Gabor signed the contract on behalf of Floriade 2012. Paul Beck spoke of a decisive moment in the realisation of Floriade: “Talks have been held for some time now between China and the Floriade about China's participation. We are extremely pleased that China has agreed to participate. With some 550 days before the opening of Floriade 2012, the official signing in the impressive surroundings of the World Expo in Shanghai will act as an extra incentive and energise us to take the Floriade to even greater heights. China, a country with such a rich tradition of exhibitions, will be a huge inspiration for other participants at Floriade 2012.”

Hubert Bruls, chairman of the Regio Venlo, also attended the signing. "We are delighted with China's presence at Floriade. China's participation offers the Regio Venlo an outstanding opportunity to present itself to this economic power. This will reinforce the contacts with numerous Chinese businesses. I am convinced this will result in huge benefits for the Regio Venlo.”

At the moment, some 24 countries have indicated their intention to participate at Floriade 2012. The organisers hope to ultimately welcome 40 participating countries. The participating countries will have the opportunity to organise their own nationally-themed days, which will also be reflected in the programme of culture and entertainment.

Turkey signs intention to participate

A large delegation representing the Turkish government and the Turkish horticultural sector visited the Floriade site in Venlo. During the visit a declaration of intent was signed for the participation of Turkey at Floriade 2012.

The delegation enjoyed an extensive guided tour of the Floriade park. The Turkish exhibit will occupy a total area of 1000 m2 in the World Show Stage themed zone. Turkey would also like to exhibit in Villa Flora, where ever changing exhibitions of flowers will be showcased during Floriade 2012. The pavilion will have a traditional Turkish atmosphere, and will communicate an innovative message.

Participation at Floriade 2012 is also of symbolic significance for the Turkish government: in 2012, it will be precisely 400 years ago that Turkey and the Netherlands became trading partners. In addition, Antayla in Turkey will also be hosting an official World Horticultural Expo in 2016.

First pile of Innovatoren laid

The official start of construction of the Innovatoren took place on the Floriade site in Venlo. During Floriade 2012, this structure will act as the entrance for the more than 2 million visitors. After the Floriade it will be used as a knowledge and innovation centre forming part of the Venlo GreenPark business park.

A large crowd of guests gathered to watch the first pile of the Innovatoren being laid this afternoon. Among those attending were Sven Stimac, Project Director at Floriade, and Deputy Ger Driessen of the Province of Limburg. The Province of Limburg has financed the building of the Innovatoren.

The Innovatoren was designed by the former Chief Government Architect of the Netherlands Jo Coenen and will be built by BAM Utiliteitsbouw Eindhoven. The Innovatoren has a total floor surface area of 6000 square metres and its 10 storeys reach a height of 70 metres, making it the tallest structure in the Venlo region.

The glass atrium at the front of the tower will form the entrance to the Floriade park. In line with the Floriade Venlo Principles the Innovatoren will be built with sustainability in mind and will use 20 - 25% less energy than a traditional building. Construction is scheduled for completion in December 2011.

The start of building operations is an important moment for the Floriade organisers. Last month saw the start of construction of the other permanent building on the Floriade site: Villa Flora. During Florade 2012, this building will offer a stage for the ever-changing exhibition of flowers and after Floriade will provide commercial space on Venlo GreenPark. Earlier this week the design for the bridge over the A73 motorway was revealed. This bridge leads to the Innovatoren.

These prestigious buildings will form permanent landmarks in the region, just like the Euromast after the Floriade in Rotterdam ended.

Start pavilion arboriculture sector

Last April, a shower of droplets at the base of the ' tree of life' signalled the symbolic start of construction work on the pavilion for the arboriculture sector.

The Dutch arboriculture sector is one of the first participants to actually start constructing its exhibit. According to Jan van Leeuwen, vice-chairman of theRaad voor de Boomkwekerij (a cooperative venture between the Nederlandse Bond van Boomkwekers and Anthos), the Floriade has enormous significance for the sector. ”The future is green. Trees and plants have the future, and so do producers of plants and trees. That's why we want to demonstrate the important role of our sector in the future at Floriade. In our pavilion, visitors can literally experience the landscape of arboriculture in the future.”

Sven Stimac, Projects Director at Floriade 2012: “This is a decisive moment for Floriade. The arboriculture sector is the first sector to actually start planting and constructing an exhibit in the park. At the same time this is also the tallest tree that has been planted in the park until now: a wonderful landmark.”

Yggdrasil
Communication advice bureau Imagro and engineers ARCADIS are responsible for the concept and realisation of the Floriade exhibit for the arboricultural sector. Van Leeuwen: “It's a fantastic idea. Yggdrasil, the immense world tree central in Norse mythology has been chosen as the symbol. “Yggdrasil is the axle around which the world revolves”, says Mike Otten, art director at Imagro, and one of the creative brains behind the concept. “The tree which supports the entire world and around which it revolves. Trees and plants are vital for us and for the quality of life. But this fabulous greenery doesn't just appear as if by magic. And certainly not in a world that is becoming increasingly urbanised. The arboriculture sector pays a huge contribution to the quality of life. A contribution that we will visualise with this exhibit at Floriade. The arboriculture sector represents ‘the trunk’, through which the life force flows.

Growth rings
At a later stage, a pattern of growth rings around the axle will show the knowledge and expertise the arboricultural sector possesses, says Van Leeuwen. “Visitors will be amazed and astounded by a sector that they maybe know too little about. Not just by the vision of the sector, but also by our skills and our innovative power.” The pavilion is situated in the Education & Innovation themed zone. This themed zone at the Floriade is all about education, innovation and knowledge transfer.

Gilded watering can
The tree of life had already been planted, but last Monday it was symbolically brought to life on the Floriade site. In front of a group of specially invited guests, Sven Stimac, Project Director at Floriade, Henk Westerhof (chairman Raad voor de Boomkwekerij) and Jan van Leeuwen sprinkled the base of the tree with water from a gilded watering can. This symbolic action paved the way for theRaad voor de Boomkwekerij 's experience pavilion.

Floriade Conference Agency

The company ZIN in Maastricht has been appointed the Floriade Conference Agency: a specialised team that will be responsible for organising and implementing business meetings during the Floriade World Horticultural Expo.

In 2012 the Floriade will be a unique day out for more than two million visitors. But the Floriade Park will also be an outstanding venue for business events. The Floriade Park offers all the necessary facilities and plenty of opportunities for conferences, events and business meetings. Meetings can of course be perfectly combined with a visit to Floriade 2012.

With the Floriade and these conference facilities, Regio Venlo aims to put itself on the map as a convention region. Regio Venlo, whose chief core values are sustainability, exchange of know-how and innovation, will offer ample opportunities for accommodating conferences of any size during the Floriade, but most certainly also before and after the event.

For the Netherlands Horticulture Council, the signing of this contract means yet another step forward towards the realisation of the Floriade as a unique knowledge centre and meeting point for the top of the international horticultural sector and consumers in an attractive and exciting experience park.

Click here for more information on conferences and business events.