56th Floraart: Zagreb Marked by Flowers

This year once again Floraart, the international garden exhibition with more than a half a century long tradition, will gather all those who enjoy beauty and scent of flowers and floral arrangements of major Croatian and foreign florists.

The 56^th International Garden Exhibition, which will take place from 19 to 22 May this year at Bundek Lake and park in Zagreb, is the largest horticultural event in this part of Europe. Over the years, Floraart has attracted numerous florists from Croatia and the world. In addition to beautiful scenes, it also offers many activities interesting to all those who like decorative plants or who work with them. Around ten foreign and 180 Croatian florists are to participate at this year’s exhibition.

Floraart traditionally attracts a number of visitors, flower enthusiasts, who also attend the event to buy seedlings for their gardens and yards. The fact that the offer this year will include as many as 180 thousand seedlings at special prices says a lot about the variety of choice.

This year’s special guest Kang Yong-Soon, a master of traditional Korean flower arranging, will present the Korean art of Wagong in several workshops and attract a lot of attention.

Numerous promotions and lectures, contest of exhibitors, the Croatian Florists Cup and the International Highschool Competition will also be held within the framework of the event.

World Bee Day, which is celebrated on 20 May, will also be marked at this year’s Floraart. On this occasion, the Croatian Apitherapy Society will try to raise awareness of the importance of care for greenery and flowers for the survival of bees in urban areas, explain truths and myths about honey, and teach visitors how to recognise real honey. Also, special workshops will be organised for children. Visitors will have an opportunity to find out about rare and collectible plants and learn how to repot a particular plant. Experts will give lectures on therapeutical potential of medical hemp and manufacturing of natural skin care products.

Therefore, life in Zagreb will again be marked by this garden exhibition with a fifty-six-year-long tradition. The first exhibition of this type, which was entitled the Flower Fair, took place in 1966 in Zagreb’s Upper Town. The event received its current name in 1992, when it was also transferred from the Upper Town to the bank of the Sava River (Prisavlje). As of 2006 the area surrounding Bundek Lake became the venue where the event takes place, covering more than 300 000 square meters of outdoor and 2000 square meters of indoor space.

Floraart is organised by the Zrinjevac branch of Zagrebački Holding, which is the company responsible for maintenance of beautiful flower beds and green areas of the city’s squares and parks, and co-organised by the City of Zagreb.

The admission to the exhibition is free of charge.