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Tiptoeing through tulips, chomping on cheese and contemplating purchases of wooden shoes: is there ever a bad time to plan a visit to the Netherlands? In 2022, there’s an especially good reason to make way to the tiny nation in northern Europe where technology and old-world charm so seamlessly commingle.
Since 1960, the Netherlands has played host to a massive horticultural exhibition and garden show known as Floriade. The cost and effort behind organizing an event of this magnitude is so great that it comes about just once every ten years.
In each decade of the show’s existence, a different city has been chosen as the venue for the world’s largest expo dedicated to growing things. In 2022, Almere will be stepping up to host. Established in 1975 on land reclaimed from the sea, Almere can lay claim to being the Netherlands’ newest city. The city of some 200,000 residents sits some 20 miles east of Amsterdam, separated by the IJmeer Lake.
For six months, Floriade’s visitors can take in an astonishing variety of plants from around the world as they explore a vision for the future. Organized in accordance with the theme of “Growing Green Cities,” the challenge of how to make urban spaces both sustainable and attractive places to live will be thoroughly explored here. Latest technologies in the areas of climate, food, energy and health will turn the exhibition space into a living laboratory. And when the exhibition ends its run, a new green city district known as Hortus, complete with botanical garden, will serve as its legacy.
It’s not just urban planners and tech-y types who would stand to gain from a visit to Floriade. All those who find joy in flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables and other forms of greenery are bound to find their own takeaways while wandering through the show’s greenhouses, installations and gardens. Just some of the things to see here include vertical façade gardens, an arboretum filled with unusual species, and flower beds in full blossom. Children can go on an expedition, home gardeners can learn about the latest planting and pruning techniques and everyone can enjoy the vast culinary offerings from around the world or the vibrant programming of arts and culture. With over 40 pavilions in which countries from France to Indonesia show off their cultures, plant life, and local innovations, a visit to Floriade is bound to take up the better part of a day.
Floriade runs from April 14 through Oct. 9, 2022. The cost of a single-day entry ticket begins at 29 euros for adults, 19 euros for children ages 4 to12 and is free for those age three and under. Expect to pay more on weekends and peak vacation weeks. The cost of the admission ticket also includes a ride across the show’s vast premises aboard a cable car.
Those choosing to combine a visit to Floriade with a stay in Amsterdam can easily reach the venue by means of frequent train service. The journey time to Almere from Amsterdam’s central station is about 20 minutes, and a one-way ticket will cost around 6.60 euros. For more on Floriade, see https://floriade.com/en.
