“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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European olive. Republic of Crimea
The olive tree has been considered a symbol of peace since the time of the Great Flood. Noah released a dove several times to find out if the Ark would soon reach land. One day, the dove returned with an olive branch in its beak. Noah understood that God had turned His anger to mercy and forgiven humanity. According to legend, the olive tree was the first plant to grow on earth when the flood receded.
In Crimea, the olive tree appeared along with the first Greek colonists in the 2nd millennium BC. Today, the peninsula is home to a centuries-old olive tree recognized as the oldest tree in the region, and hundred- and two-hundred-year-old olive groves are scattered along the southern coast of Crimea. The first Russian olive oil in Crimea was produced in 1826 by order of the imperial court.
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LILY OF THE VALLEY. UDMURT REPUBLIC
The symbol of musical Udmurtia is the lily of the valley (also called May bells). This flower's theme is closely associated with the great native of Udmurtia, the world's most performed composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Lily of the valley was his favorite flower, perhaps because it bloomed around his birthday, May 7th, in the forest clearings around his hometown of Votkinsk.
The lily of the valley has become the true soul and brand of Udmurtia, the musical symbol of the region. The image of this flower is often found on postcards and festival emblems associated with the name of composer P.I. Tchaikovsky. Many events celebrating the composer take place during the flowering period of the lily of the valley.
The flowers of the lily of the valley are also needed in the perfume industry, where an essential oil with a pleasant aroma is extracted from them.
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Wild strawberry. Ryazan region
The main feature and pride of the Ryazan region are its forests, which occupy almost a third of the region's territory. The most common type is the pine forest, covering vast areas in the north and east of the region. These areas are incredibly rich in forest harvests: an abundance of mushrooms, valuable essential oil, medicinal and tea plants is complemented by a berry feast. Blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, cranberries, and, of course, the beloved wild strawberries.
Wild strawberries are valued for their tasty berries and healing properties. The Latin name "fragare" translates to "fragrance." The berries of wild strawberries are indeed very aromatic, juicy, tasty, and sweet.
Wild strawberries also benefit those seeking rejuvenating effects: the essential oil of the berries has anti-inflammatory, calming, and rejuvenating properties.
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Common yarrow. Saratov region
Common yarrow, or thousand-leaf (Achillea millefolium) is a perennial herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Yarrow (Achillea) of the Aster family. It is used as a medicinal, spicy, ornamental and honey-bearing plant, as well as for the restoration of arable land and pastures.
Yarrow is widely distributed in Europe and Asia. In Russia, it is found in almost all regions, including the Saratov region. With the onset of summer, plants with small snow-white flowers can be seen on roadsides, ravine slopes and glades. Although the plant can not be attributed to weeds, it is characterized by unpretentiousness.
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Salvia. Lugansk People's Republic
Salvia is one of the varieties of the herbaceous sage plant, which can be found ubiquitously in the meadows of the Lugansk People's Republic, while ornamental varieties are used in flowerbed compositions.
Most commonly, meadow sage can be found in our steppes. It has medicinal properties and is used for therapeutic purposes: it helps with colds and inflammations and is used to treat skin and many other diseases. In the villages of the republic, people still say, "Plant sage in your garden, and you won't need a doctor."
Another reason people love sage is that it is an excellent honey plant, producing large amounts of nectar. Beekeepers and gardeners highly value it. Sage flowers emit a very pleasant aroma, reminiscent of lavender, attracting numerous insects that pollinate garden and orchard crops.
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Feather grass. Volgograd region
Most of the Volgograd region is occupied by steppes. The steppe is the kingdom of feather grass, also called needle grass. There are more than 10 species of these grasses in the region, of which the most widespread is the narrow-leaved feather grass (hairy kovyl in Russian). Six more species, being rare and endangered, are included in the Red Data Book of the Volgograd region.
Narrow-leaved feather grass (Stipa capillata) is a typical grass of steppes, drought-resistant and light-loving. Its perennial turf grows in width along the edges from numerous shoots, and gradually dies off in the middle, forming a peculiar hollow where rainwater accumulates better. This is very important for the arid southern steppe: here every drop is precious. In order to evaporate less moisture, the leaves curl into a tube. When flowering, from spring to mid-June, long white pinnate awns 12-18 cm long appear on the feather grass. They give the feather grass steppe the appearance of a swaying “gray hair” like the sea. In the fall, the seeds of the stipa grass fly on these “feathers” all over the steppe and stick into the ground, screwing deeper and deeper into the soil.
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.
