“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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Yarrow. Tver region
The Tver region is a land of dense forests, gentle rivers, quiet lakes, and lush meadows. Many meadow herbs are medicinal plants, such as common yarrow. Yarrow is still actively used in folk medicine today. It is taken internally as a remedy for regulating metabolism, dizziness, nausea, headaches, and sleep disorders.
Yarrow is a large genus of the Asteraceae family, comprising about 150 species. The common yarrow, or woundwort (Latin: Achillea millefolium), is the type species of the yarrow genus. The genus name derives from Achilles, the mythical hero who used yarrow to heal wounds. The species epithet (mille - thousand, folium - leaf) refers to the plant's numerous leaf segments. The plant is widespread in Europe and Asia and has been introduced to other continents. In cultivation, yarrow is grown as an ornamental, medicinal, and aromatic plant.
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Blue spruce. Kabardino-Balkaria
The blue spruce, also known as prickly spruce (Latin: Picea pungens), is an evergreen coniferous tree. The unusual coloring of needles is given by a thick layer of wax covering each needle, which protects the spruce from environmental influences. The natural habitat of the species is the west of North America, from where it was brought to Europe and then to Russia.
Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, is famous for its alleys of silver-blue spruces. It was here that the Soviet breeder Ivan Porfirievich Kovtunenko grew blue spruces, which today adorn various corners of our homeland. In 1918, Ivan Porfirievich started working in a nursery in Nalchik and for the first time encountered blue spruces, which at that time were a rarity for our country. Then seedlings of spruce trees were purchased for further cultivation to serve as decoration of parks and resorts of southern Russian cities.
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Red clover. Vologda region
The composition of the Vologda region at the RUSSIA EXPO uses meadow clover, decorative flax, junipers and other plants. Their color palette coincides with the main colors of the region: red and white. These are symbols of fire, the sun, as well as a symbol of revival, a symbol of earthly life, fertility, love, continuation and protection of the family, warrior and manhood, amulet.
Red (meadow) clover belongs to the legume family. Its international botanical name is Trifolium pratense. Translated into Russian, it means "three leafed". This name was given to the plants because of the characteristic structure of the leaves: in all species of clover they are trifoliate. It is very rare to find a four-leafed one among the triple leaves. According to folk legend, such a find should bring good luck.
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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.
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Sphagnum moss. Karelia
Karelia is one of the marshiest regions of Russia, with swamps covering almost a quarter of the republic's territory. This is a complex and rich ecosystem that is protected by the state.
Moss is found everywhere in Karelia. Sphagnum, or Sphagnum moss (from the Greek "sphagnos," meaning sponge), is a common inhabitant of swamps. In Russia, more than forty species of sphagnum grow.
Sphagnum moss has unique moisture-absorbing properties, capable of absorbing water up to 20 times its mass.
Bog moss has no roots; its cells grow upwards while the lower layers gradually die off. However, they do not rot. Decay is prevented by the phenol contained in sphagnum—an antiseptic that kills bacteria. From the dying parts of sphagnum, raised bog peat is formed. This is how, due to sphagnum and other aquatic plants, lakes become overgrown and swamps appear.
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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.
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.
