Floriade 2012

Floriade photo

ABOVE: A rendering of the Water Lily Pond at the last Floriade exposition in 2002.

Floriade, the World's Fair of horticultural shows, is the largest public event in the Netherlands. The exhibition, which takes place only once every 10 years, will make its second appearance of the 21st Century from April 5 to October 7, 2012.

More than 3 million visitors visited Floriade 2002, which occupied an all-new site in Haarlemmermeer near Amsterdam. The 2012 event will take place in the Venlo region of the Netherlands, near the German border, the city of Düsseldorf, and the Rhine.

According to Floriade's organizers, more than 30 million people live within a two-hour drive of the Venlo region. To make the exposition even more accessible, a new road (the A74) will link the German road network with the A73 at Venlo by the time the park opens.

The new park covers 66 hectares (163 acres) and will have five "themed worlds," each separated from the others by wooded areas. Highlights will include Villa Flora ("the greenest office in the Netherlands"), a Flower Bulb Pavilion ("discover the story behind the towering tulip"), A Taste of Life ("get a taste of Dutch agriculture and horticulture" as produce passes by on a sushi-style conveyor), Bee for the World ("experience life as a bee"), the longest aerial cablecar system in the Netherlands, and a number of themed restaurants.

Next page: Practical Information, Web links

In this article:

Floriade 2012

Practical information, Web links

Photos from past expositions

Keukenhof: The world's largest flower garden

Photos: Floriade.

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