Floriade 2012

The Netherlands’ Floriade World Horticultural Expo takes place once every 10 years. Running dates in 2012 are April 5-Oct. 7. On May 20, my husband, John, and I drove from Amsterdam to Venlo, near the German border, to attend Floriade 2012. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with it.

The expo’s infrastructure was impressive, with shuttles taking us from a distant parking lot to an area where we walked through a plexiglass tunnel over a highway to the large entrance. Laid out amongst a few woods were five themed areas (“Environment,” “Education & Innovation,” etc.).

We got to the Floriade the afternoon of May 20, too late to see everything, so we went back and spent nearly the whole day. It’s spread out over a very large area; much walking is required.

Unfortunately, we felt that most of the displays were not outstanding. The pavilion with tropical plants was good. The most interesting, to me, was a display where we could taste and smell different mushrooms, berries and cherry tomatoes. At that one, children could make appetizers with the help of chefs.

The World Show Stage area had kiosks from some interesting countries, such as Yemen and Sudan, but mostly they just sold cheap jewelry. The Relax/Heal area was essentially a swimming pool and spa no fancier than those of many homes in our area of California.

Many restaurants and fountains dotted the park. There was entertainment from amateur groups.

I’d say Floriade is worth a day if you’re in the area, but it’s not worth a special trip.

We had just been to Keukenhof Gardens on May 19, the last Saturday it was open. With only 20% of the tulips in bloom there, we still loved it.

LINDA HUETINCK
Alhambra, CA