This world class event only occurs every ten years in different locations across Holland, and this year it runs from April to October near the town of Venlo close to the German border.
The show site covers more than sixty six hectares and comprises of five different themed areas with over one hundred different gardens. ‘Floriade’ is a showcase for international horticulture with education, technology and innovation are at the forefront of many exhibits.
Having spent time at the ‘Floriade’ site, the group travelled on to Naaldwijk for a guided tour of the huge ‘Flora Holland’ auction complex. This is one of six auction centres in Holland where flowers and plants are sold via the famous Dutch auction clocks. The scale of the operations is vast with approximately twelve billion plants and flowers passing through each year.
On the way home the group stopped in Amsterdam to visit the famous Floating Flower Market, reported to be the only floating flower market in the world where the stalls are laid out on the houseboats.
Carl Gill is Curriculum Manager for Horticulture / Floristry and Foundation Studies at Wiltshire College Lackham; he organised and led this successful study tour to Holland.
