“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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Flax. Smolensk region
Common flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a plant that grows up to about 120 cm tall. Its flowers form an "umbrella," and after blooming, seed capsules appear in their place. Flax is a valuable agricultural crop used in the textile, chemical, and even food industries. For example, strong linen threads are made from its stems and leaves, and its seeds are pressed to produce oil that is extremely beneficial for health and beauty. Additionally, flax is used to make medicines, nutrient substrates, and components of technical mixtures. In recent years, specially bred varieties of flax have become a popular choice for landscape designers.
Flax has been known since ancient times and has always been revered as a symbol of light, purity, and fidelity. High priests of Egypt could enter temples only in linen clothing, and pharaohs' mummies were wrapped in linen fabrics. Herodotus mentioned that among the gifts brought by one of the pharaohs to the temple of Athena in Rhodes, the most valuable gift was linen fabric.
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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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Crowberry. Chukotka Autonomous Area
Crowberry, also known as shiksha, is a genus of evergreen plants in the heather family. It is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, though rare colonies can sometimes be found in South America, particularly on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. The residents of Chukotka highly value and cherish this remarkable berry for its beauty and beneficial properties.
The Russian name "vodianika" (crowberry) is derived from the high water content in its fruits. Crowberries contain vitamin C, as well as caffeic and benzoic acids, which impart powerful antioxidant and restorative properties to the berry. However, it's important to remember that the fruits can accumulate heavy metals, so they should only be gathered in environmentally clean areas, away from roads.
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Rocky Mountain juniper "Fisht." Krasnodar region
Rocky Mountain juniper originates from North America. It typically grows in mountainous areas among rocks, which is reflected in its species name. It belongs to the cypress family. Most varieties of Rocky Mountain juniper are well adapted to the harsh conditions of the Russian climate. These junipers are characterized by their beautiful bluish or steel-colored needles.
Rocky Mountain junipers are incredibly long-lived, with a lifespan exceeding 1,000 years. They grow slowly. They prefer sunlight but can tolerate some shading, although they lose their decorative appeal in more shaded areas. The tree is often multi-trunked from the base, reaching a height of 10-18 meters in the wild, while cultivated varieties grow to 3-4 meters.
The Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) "Fisht," presented at the RUSSIA EXPO by the Krasnodar region, was developed at the Gavrish nursery in Krymsk, located in the Krasnodar region.
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Donetsk People's Republic: rose
Rose (Latin: Rósa) is a collective name of many species and varieties of representatives of the genus Rosa, which grow in the wild and is cultivated by man.
This flower has a special significance for Donbass. Roses have been traditionally planted on the streets of Donetsk since the 60s of the XX century. According to the idea of the first secretary of the regional committee of the Communist Party at the time, Vladimir Degtyaryov, it was necessary to plant one rose for each inhabitant. Thanks to this decision, people started to call Donetsk the city of a million roses. In fact, even more roses are planted there every year - up to two million roses. No wonder that in the 70s, UNESCO recognized Donetsk as the greenest of all industrial cities in the world.
That's why the centerpiece of the DPR's floral composition is a topiary of three intertwined roses, which almost exactly replicates the wrought iron sculpture located in the central part of the city.
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Narrow-leaf fireweed (Ivan-chai). Tyumen region
Narrow-leaf fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop.) known in Russia as Ivan-chai (lit. Ivan-tea) is a perennial herbaceous plant, the type species of the genus Chamaenerion, belonging to the family Onagraceae. It is often considered part of the genus Epilobium. Commonly known as "Koporye tea" and "field tea," in Russia, it has been used to produce tea as a substitute for expensive Chinese tea since the XVIII century.
Fireweed is widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the forest zone of Siberia, where it is one of the main honey plants. In the Tyumen region, it grows in the Tobolsk district and the Antipino area. Look for Ivan-chai on forest edges, ravine slopes, and riverbanks. This plant can quickly cover large areas in clearings and burnt-out areas due to its rapid vegetative reproduction, which helps restore soil fertility. Due to its ability to grow in fire-damaged areas, it is also called fire herb, garevik, pozharnik in Russia.
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.