There's an air of horticultural panic. Not only because of the imminent arrival of the Dutch monarch, but because the television channel CNN has just listed Floriade 2012 as among the Top Ten World Destinations for the year. Expectations are high.
Every 10 years, the Dutch select a swathe of open land somewhere in the country, plant out the bulbs, construct pavilions, and invite countries from around the globe to set up stall for the 'World Horticultural Expo'. Floriade 2012 is taking place near of the town of Venlo, in the southern province of Limburg. Around me are displays from as far afield as Bolivia and Korea, Bhutan and Japan. And then there's the park.
Until now, much of the Floriade park was fallow farmland, interspersed by ancient woodland. The woods have been left intact. The bits in between – those not taken up by pavilions, plazas or fountains – have been landscaped and planted out. The figures are impressive: 1.8 million bulbs, 5,000 rose bushes, 190,000 perennials, 3,000 trees, all spread over some 160 acres. The list goes on.
I hop onto a sleek electric cable car: from 80 feet above the ground, I watch workers scuttling about in reflective jackets, their bright yellows and oranges mirroring the banks of blooms that are just beginning to open. Most trees are not yet in leaf, and the geometric rose garden I can see below me won't really get going till the end of May, but I can see Floriade is going to be impressive.
Back down on the ground, I learn that Floriade is not only about flowers. Trees, herbs, and fruit and vegetables all get a good show. Local Limburg specialities of strawberries and asparagus have a section all to themselves, with an adjoining restaurant where you can tuck in to the fare.
There's a serious side too, with some pavilions devoted to green issues, future technology, and sustainability. I linger in a fascinating pavilion built around a beehive, where each of the creatures has been fitted with a tiny electronic chip to track their movements.
As with the London Olympics, the infrastructure, parks and gardens created for Floriade are recycled once it is over, for wider use. Past Floriade parks have become part of the national heritage – near where I live in Amsterdam, the enormous Amstel Park (the legacy of Floriade 1972) is, I think, one of the most beautiful in town.
In these tougher times, aims have been more pragmatic. Floriade 2012 will become a business park. As I walk about, I get the feeling that this has meant a shift in focus from park to pavilion. Permanent buildings on the site include a high-rise for offices and a large exhibition hall; there seems to be an awful lot of walkway and concrete – but then spring is not yet properly underway.
Once the trees are fully in leaf and those bulbs are blooming vigorously, when the roses emerge and the bushes of Mediterranean herbs are scenting the air, when the deft fingers of flower arrangers from around the world have put the finishing touches to their displays, Floriade 2012 is sure to wow the crowds.
Floriade essentials
The event runs from April 5 to October 7, just outside the Dutch city of Venlo. Open daily 10am-7pm. Adult day tickets cost €25 (£21). Seewww.floriade.nl
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