Flower shows around the glob

By Alok Kumar Deb

Flower show and competitions  are held in different parts of the world  during January to July  every year .Flower cultivators appear with their finest collections , ideas with a view to  winning  over the minds of the  flower lovers.  Some of the few important flower shows are:

London Royal Hospital grounds Flower Show at Chelsea for four days is the world’s leading horticultural event, normally held in the month of each May. This year it is  being  held during 25 - 28 May 2004 The environment come alive with the sights and smells of the finest collections of flowers in the world.  Here separate show gardens are created with attention filled up with stunning ideas by some of the world’s leading garden designers. The floral pavilion hosts thousands of fabulous flowers including new plants that have never been seen before.  It gives the latest and greatest in gardening ideas and experiences the wonder of the world’s most famous flower show
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the world’s largest horticultural show.
The Venue is the Hampton Court Palace, Surrey   It is held during the month July (6 - 11 July 2004) The enchanting Hampton Court Palace and surrounding park provide an idyllic setting for the. This spectacular gardening event features an exciting range of flowers, plants and gardening accessories, with displays from over 150 specialist nurseries from around the country giving the opportunity to buy and discover stunning landscaped show and water gardens bursting with inspirational ideas for gardening. It is one of the greatest annual gatherings of roses in full bloom in the world,
The Philadelphia Flower Show : In USA displays high quality orchid plants, beautiful fresh-cut flowers including calla lilies, easy-to-use gardening tools, floral beautified furniture, handcrafted “floral” jewelry, dried flower arrangements, unique containers, baskets and vases, flower gifts. More than 140 vendors from all over the world gather at the Show in the month of March to sell their great gardening products. This year it is the 175th anniversary of the Flower Show.   In fact Philadelphia gave birth to America's first horticultural society, named The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, formed in 1827 and the nation's first flower show, the Philadelphia Flower Show was organized in 1829. Twenty-five Society members showed off their horticultural treasures including a variety of exotic and native plants like magnolias, peonies from China, an India rubber tree, the Coffee Tree of Arabia, and sugar cane from the West Indies.  From 1927 until the mid '60s, management of the Flower Show was under a professional group of nurserymen and growers.  During that time, the Society produced the amateur competitive sections that are now a major component of the Show, called Competitive Classes. There were ups and down then .In 1996, the Show moved to bigger plots as permanent location for the annual show where it encompasses 33 acres, with exhibit space taking up 10 acres of the main exhibit hall. The Show's expanded size and scope makes it the largest indoor Flower Show in the world, entertaining crowds over 275,000 people annually.

It features a host of amenities including a larger lecture and demonstration series, culinary presentations garden teas, and 140 Marketplace vendors Proceeds from the Philadelphia Flower Show, including sponsorship contributions help fund programs including its acclaimed greening program, make Philadelphia Green, the nation's largest and most comprehensive neighborhood greening program. Philadelphia Green works with more than 800 organized community groups on thousands of projects that include planting street trees, maintaining neighborhood parks, and creating vegetable and flower gardens. The Show is a wonderland of inspiration and learning. More than 500 free educational programs for Show guests from beginners to experts are conducted during Show week. Luxurious attractions such as The All Star Culinary presentations and The Wedding Room delight everyone in the family.
Wedding Room —Free. The best ideas for all the signature events of the wedding—from rehearsal to reception—are captured in this first-ever attraction at the Show. Show guests are invited to see the latest styles in bridal flowers and meet the experts who plan the region’s most elegant affairs. From elaborate entranceways to flowery fashions, The Wedding Room is the next best thing to a personal planner for the big event.
The Melbourne International Flower and Garden show : Australia  is one of he glamorous flower exhibition of the world.  It is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2004, on beautiful Lake Como at historic Coney Island. Hundreds of show exhibits include container gardens, window box and landscaped gardens and luxuriant outdoor gardens.    It is undoubtedly Australia’s most beautiful event, representing all areas of the Ornamental Horticulture Industry. The concept is “smell the roses” and the begonias, geraniums, rhododendrons, waratahs, agonis, banksia, kangaroo paw, mountain daisy, ti tree, eucalyptus, chrysanthemum, gerbera, lisianthus, carnations, tulips constitute all at the Show.
It gives inspirational   ideas for creating beauty and colour of a garden. The displays are designed and constructed by some of Australia's most talented landscape designers. Millions of visitors enjoy the fuss.
It is presented by IOOF Funds Management, during March April each year (31st March to Sunday 4th April, this year) for five fantastic days of flowers, fun and festivities!

Hong Kong Flower Show 2004
Hong Kong Flower Show 2004 is organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, being held during 5 to 14 March 2004 at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.  Featuring Pansy as its theme flower and the theme 'Pansy fantasia', the event will showcase this exquisite plant and other exotic flowers, landscape and floral art displays by more than 100 organizations from local, the Mainland and overseas. There will also be some 50 commercial stalls selling flowers and other horticultural products.  During the show period, a wide range of fringe activities will also be organized for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages. They include competition by exhibits student drawing competition, photo competition, music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, plant maintenance workshops, green stalls, guided visits and fun games it is organized by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The show aims to educate and inspire with more than 11 acres of spectacular exhibits, specially designed gardens and flower displays.

Flower exhibitions are organized around the year at the Flower Show Venue near the White Memorial Hall Complex, Gangtok. Orchid Shows held during the spring tourist season is one of the most popular shows organized in the state.

In India
Delhi Flower Show : An international horticultural exhibition of flowers, including hybrids. Held in the month of February every year on the grounds of the Purana Qila and organized by the Delhi chapter of the YWCA. This is India’s greatest flower exhibition.  It includes
Cactus and Succulent Shows

• Summer Garden Competition

• Foliage Plants Show

• Chrysanthemum, Rose, Dahlia and Gladiolus Show

• Home Growing Competition

• Winter Garden Competition

• Annual Flower Show

The Mysore Horticultural Society founded in 1912 conducts horticultural shows at the Glass House in Lalbagh and provides an excellent opportunity to cultivate a variety of flowers and ornamental plants,
Flower-shows conducted twice a year in this historical Glass House in Lalbagh, Bangalore. One in January and the other in August-Septemb since 1922. Since 1951, these shows are organized coinciding with the Republic Day celebrations and the Independence Day celebrations respectively. For a period of 8-10 days that attract not only the people of Bangalore city but also people from outside the State and country. Summer Festival is held each year during the month of May in the Botanical Garden and is an added attraction for tourists. Salubrious climate, lingering taste of tea and fruits tempt you to come here year after year. The Flower Show is the pride of the festival. Cultural programmers are organized for those interested in traditional classical arts. Adventure spots like trekking also form part of the festival

Like gems on the queen's crown, the Ooty Botanical garden, was established in 1847 adorned with wide varieties of exotic ornamental plants. The garden is the venue for the flower show conducted during May every year.  In the middle of the garden is a fossil tree trunk 20 million years old. The artificial lake constructed in 1824 offers excellent boating facilities. An annual Seasonal festival is held here with a display of the various varieties of flowers and vegetables. Various cultural programmers are held during the summer season, attracting viewers from around the world. The boathouse at the Ooty Lake provides boating and also offers an annual water sports competition, which attracts a huge number of participants. Canopy Type stalls are the major attractions

Rose Festival (Chandigarh)
The biggest Rose Show in the country is held at the famous Rose Gardens at Chandigarh. Varieties of magnificent roses are on display during this two-day festival. The event is enlivened with a flower competition and participation of the general public. Beautifully decorated stalls add to the grandeur of the place.  

Agartala flower show and competition
It is organized by Tripura horticultural society during the weeklong Republic day Ceremony at the premises of Royal palace of the capital city of Agartala, Tripura.  The panoramic display of immense varieties of flowers, bonsai, ornamental plants and foliages in different containers, reflect man’s real love for nature. Besides the main show, the competitions  of sit and draw by children, Indian indigenous traditional art, floral art, flower vase, bouquet, ornamental decoration are an integral part of the show . Besides, the society arranges seminar every year on promotion of floricultural activities with a view to  giving edge to the flower growers and lovers , to take to floriculture in right earnest ,with the appearance of eminent expert on floriculture of the state and nation and  with the objective of  “Create awareness among flower growers/ farming society and entertain the tourists “
Hundreds of individuals, private and public sector organizations participate and win fabulous prizes and trophies for their carefully nurtured plants and flowers.
The society has been organizing this flower show since 1986. It is a Tripura Government sponsored society having 128 members with an executive committee of 15 members of which the Chief secretary of the state is the chairman and director Horticulture is the Secretary.
The society has created favorable condition towards beautification of Agartala City   and its suburbs, which are in fact saturated with flower gardens both on the ground space and terrace of the houses atop.