“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.
-
Read more
Pansies. Bryansk region
If the beginning of spring was warm and sunny, then as early as in April pansies (called in Russian "Anyuta's eyes") begin to bloom on the meadows and forest edges of the Bryansk region. This is the folk name of the flowers, which botanists call Víola wittrockiána. In the language of flowers, the three colors of the petals have their own meaning: white is a symbol of hope, yellow is for surprise, and purple is for sadness.
Pansies are a long-known, but still popular hybrid of large-flowered European violets.
It is believed that the fashion for pansies in Russia appeared thanks to the work of L. Tolstoy's “Anna Karenina”, in which the main heroine decorated her outfits and hairstyles with these flowers.
-
Read more
Kamchatka bilberry. Sakhalin region
Kamchatka bilberry (Latin: Vaccinium praestans) is an endemic plant of the Sakhalin region, a wild berry bush from the genus Vaccinium of the Heath family. Locally, this berry is called "klopovka" (lit. "tick's berry"). This unusual Sakhalin berry is distinguished by its large, bright red fruits. The skin is smooth to the touch and glossy. The juicy pulp is edible, but it is usually not consumed raw.
Klopovka shrubs grow near trees in mixed forests and bogs. The plant's shoots can lie on the ground, hidden among grasses and mosses.
The berry picking season is late summer to early autumn. By August, the fruits acquire their characteristic bright red color, and in September, they may darken to a burgundy hue. Berries harvested in August-September have a high concentration of beneficial substances.
-
Read more
Reindeer lichen. Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area
Reindeer lichen (also known as reindeer moss), a modest-looking yet completely unique organism in its properties, forms the foundation of the vegetation cover in the Far North, including the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area. It belongs to a peculiar group of plants: a symbiotic organism composed of fungi and algae (cyanobacteria).
This plant is remarkably resilient to extreme conditions, low temperatures, as well as high doses of ultraviolet and penetrating radiation. It easily endures long periods without moisture.
Reindeer lichen is a staple in the diet of the reindeer. The animals can detect the scent of reindeer lichen through the snow and dig it out with their hooves. Reindeer lichen grows very slowly, requiring many years to restore pastures. For instance, the average growth rate of fruticose lichens in the Arctic tundra subzone is 1-2 mm, while in the forest-tundra zone it reaches up to 3-4 mm per year.
-
Read more
Marya's root. Komi republic
Probably every resident of the Komi Republic knows and loves the song "Maryamol," dedicated to the beautiful and rare flower called Marya's root in Russian (Paeonia anomala or anomalous peony). In our country, there are 16 species of peonies, but in the republic, only the northernmost peony grows - Marya's root.
Marya's root is a herbaceous perennial that can reach a height of one meter. This peony has straight stems and large purple-pink flowers. Flowering begins in May, reaches its peak in June, but you can still find the last flowers even in July. This peony was named Marya's root for its unusually large underground part of the bush with a sharp smell and a sweet taste.
Marya's root plays a significant role in the traditional medicine of the region. Its healing properties have been known since ancient times. Infusions are used as a sedative for neurasthenia with increased excitability.
-
Read more
Juniper. Republic of Altai
Juniper (Latin: Juniperus) is a genus of evergreen coniferous shrubs of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), growing on rocky slopes, cliffs, and sparse forests. In the Altai Mountains, juniper is represented by three species: false Cossack juniper — at archyn, Cossack juniper — koy archyn, and Siberian juniper — kyrchyn. For the Altai people, juniper is the most sacred, revered, and ethnically significant plant. It has many names: artysh, archyn, archa.
The Telengits (inhabitants of Southern Altai) say that when the Holy Mother descended to the earth, she sat where the juniper (called artysh by the locals) grew. Soon after, she gave birth to her son — God. Because the Holy Mother sat on it, it has a sprawling form. According to the Altai people, juniper possesses cleansing and healing properties. A lit branch of the plant is used to fumigate a sick person, purify a dwelling, cradle, or hearth. People turn to folk healers with a juniper branch, and it is used during matchmaking.
-
Read more
Cherry tree. Vladimir region
The history of the appearance of the cherry tree on the Vladimir land has several versions, but all of them say that the cherry tree came to us from Byzantium together with Orthodoxy.
According to one version, the first saplings of the southern tree were brought by Andrei Bogolyubsky, according to another - by Athonite monks, according to the third - the cherry was brought in the wagon of the Kiev Metropolitan.
Delicate blossom, exquisite fruits - a tree unseen in Russia was a rare curiosity.
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.
