“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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Venus slipper orchid. Republic of Buryatia
The lady's slipper orchid, or Venus slipper (Latin: Cypripedium calceolus) is an ancient herbaceous plant belonging to the Orchid family. In Russia, this flower is also called Adam's head, Mary's slipper, cuckoo boots. It can be seen in the European part of our country, in Siberia and in the Far East. It is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. On the territory of Buryatia, it is protected in the Barguzinsky and Jerginsky reserves, Zabaykalsky and Tunkinsky national parks.
According to legend, the name of the flower came from the slipper of Venus, the goddess of beauty. When Venus was running away from her pursuers through a swampy area, she tripped and dropped her slipper. This slipper miraculously transformed into the flower we now know as the Venus slipper.
This species is considered to be a representative of the most beautiful orchids of the northern regions of Russia.
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Steppe Sage. Rostov Region
In hot weather, blooming sage in the Don steppe emits a spicy and rich fragrance, somewhat similar to the aroma of lavender, with hints of wild herbs and pine. Moreover, the purple-violet flowers stand out prominently against the mixed grassland background.
In the region, the most common type is steppe sage (or meadow sage). It prefers dry meadows, forest edges, and grows along roadsides, fields, and wastelands. The plant's stem, along with its flowers, reaches up to 60 centimeters in height.
The medicinal properties of sage have been known since ancient times. The beneficial qualities of sage for humans are due to its high content of essential oils, tannins, and phytoncides. The plant has astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. It is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, sore throats, stomatitis, and bladder inflammation. Sage is also used to relieve toothache.
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Alpine aster. Chechen Republic
Alpine aster (Aster alpinus). Under natural conditions, this perennial plant can be found high in the mountains. In the republic, this variety of aster grows at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters. This flower embodies the proud spirit of the Chechen people and blooms brightly on mountain slopes in late autumn.
It is a light-loving, unpretentious plant accustomed to poor clay or sandy soils. Places of growth include steppes, rocky placers, cliffs, light-coniferous and mixed forests, edges, alpine meadows.
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Adams' rhododendron. Irkutsk region
Adams' rhododendron is a small evergreen shrub with a pleasant scent. The flowers are small and pale pink. It is endemic to Eastern Siberia and is listed in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region. The plant is named after the naturalist and botanist Johann Friedrich (Mikhail Ivanovich) Adams, who first described it in his report following an expedition to Eastern Siberia. It does not grow in artificially created environments and is found only in nature.
For the indigenous peoples of Siberia, sagan dailya — as they call Adams' rhododendron - has always been considered a miraculous plant. They prepare a tizan (herbal drink) from it, which was used in magical rituals and ceremonies at the imperial courts of the Qing dynasty in China. In Buddhist mythology, rhododendron is one of the seven plants surrounding the god of medicine and health. Siberian shamans brewed an aromatic drink from it to communicate with the gods. The plant is shrouded in legends.
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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.
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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.
