“FUTURE IN FLOWERS” FESTIVAL
The festival began on 21 May and ended on 8 July, on the last day of the RUSSIA EXPO. This large-scale flower marathon captured the whole VDNKh area, and unique art objects made of flowers were introduced in several locations simultaneously. Guests could witness more than 100 million flowers, flower exhibits from all 89 regions of the country, and designer flower compositions from institutions and state corporations. Future in Flowers workshop held floristry classes, lectures from well-known plant breeders, and fun trivia games. Visitors were shown the best achievements of national plant breeders: about 400 types of peonies, 140 types of lilacs, 120 types of irises, 250 types of roses, 30 types of dahlias, as well as other flowers and plants of Russia.
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Heather. Pskov Region
Heather (Calluna) is a genus of plants in the heather family. The only species is common heather (Calluna vulgaris). It is an evergreen, highly branched shrub about 30–50 cm tall with thin surface roots. Heather is easily recognized by its pinkish-purple flowers, which are gathered in one-sided racemose inflorescences at the ends of the shoots.
Heather is widespread in the forest zone of Eurasia, in northwestern Africa, and in the eastern regions of North America; in Russia, it is found in the European part and in Western Siberia. In the second half of summer, in the pine forests and raised bogs of the Pskov region, one can encounter shrubs covered with delicate light pink flowers, resembling tiny bells in shape. This is the abundant bloom of heather, a wonderful honey plant and a hero of Scandinavian mythology.
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Anemone hepatica. Nizhny Novgorod region
Anemone hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) is an herbaceous perennial plant, 5-15 cm tall, with solitary, upright flowers of bluish-purple color. In their young state, the leaves of the hepatica are covered with dense, soft, silky hairs, which they lose later.
The plant belongs to the buttercup family. It blooms in April-May and bears fruit in June (the fruits are nuts up to 5 mm long). It reproduces mainly by seeds.
Anemone hepatica is listed in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod region. It can be found in the "Voskresenskoye Povetluzhye" natural park.
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Snowdrop anemone. Orel region
Anemone sylvestris, or snowdrop windflower (also known in Russian as forest anemone), is a delicate flower of the buttercup family. Its name, "anemos," translates from Greek as "wind." The flower received its airy name due to its weightless petals that flutter at the slightest breeze. In Central Russia, the Orel region boasts large quantities of this Red Book plant, as anemones grow best at the intersection of forest-steppe and steppe zones.
There is a paradox in the "botanists' jokes" series: the forest anemone does not grow in forests, and its relative, the oak anemone, does not grow in oak groves. Forest anemone prefers bright and fairly dry places, it is often found in pine forests and sparse oak groves, as well as at forest edges. However, its delicate flowers are especially stunning among the shimmering feather grasses on steppe slopes. In religious-themed paintings, scarlet anemones are often depicted because, according to legend, red buds grew from Christ's blood after the crucifixion.
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Tulip. Republic of Kalmykia
In spring, the harsh Kalmyk steppe is transformed, becoming covered with a colorful carpet of tulips. During this period, the Tulip Blossom Festival takes place here - it is a vibrant folklore and ethnographic festival that introduces the natural wealth, traditional culture and cuisine of the region.
Many people consider Holland to be the birthplace of tulips. But in fact, it was from the Kalmyk steppes that merchants traveling along the Great Silk Road brought tulip bulbs in the XVII century. The name “tulip” comes from the Persian word “toliban”, which denotes an oriental headdress - a turban, in shape resembling a tulip.
Steppe tulips of Kalmykia are wild. The flowering period usually falls in April-May. The tulip is a delicate flower and chooses its own time for blooming. The miracle of the steppes blooms for almost a week. And under favorable climate conditions it can bloom longer.
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Taraxacum leucoglossum dandelion. Murmansk region
At first glance, what could be more ordinary than a dandelion? However, the Taraxacum leucoglossum dandelion (or white-tongued dandelion) is a unique plant. It can only be found in the Murmansk region, on the shores of Turiy Cape in the White Sea, and nowhere else on Earth!
Unlike the common dandelions, its flowers are snow-white rather than yellow, and its leaves are whole and somewhat thick rather than dissected and thin. Incidentally, what we call a dandelion flower is actually a flower head, an inflorescence composed of small ray flowers. The leucoglossum dandelion blooms in June, and by the end of the month, its "parachutes" — greenish-grey seeds with a long white tuft — are dispersed by the wind. This dandelion settles on the slopes of coastal cliffs, in crevices, on narrow ledges, and on steep escarpments a short distance from the water.
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Lilacs. Belgorod region
The Belgorod region can rightfully be considered the capital of lilacs. For several years, local breeders have been meticulously cultivating various varieties of this beautiful plant.
Today, the syringarium at the Belgorod University Botanical Garden boasts more than 500 varieties. Here, lilacs are not only collected but also propagated using the most modern technologies. The laboratory for micro-clonal propagation of lilacs annually sends more than 5,000 test-tube-grown seedlings to nurseries across Russia for further growth. This means that today Belgorod lilacs grow in every corner of our country. Of course, they also adorn the regional capital and other settlements of the Belgorod region.
Along with the RUSSIA EXPO, the flower festival is also coming to an end.
The "Future in Flowers" festival continues at the RUSSIA EXPO, where unique flowerbeds from all regions of our country can be seen at the "Space" pavilion until July 8.
The RUSSIA EXPO concludes on July 8, and with it, the flower festival will also come to an end.
