The 12th edition of Euroflora, the International Flower and Ornamental Plant Show, held in the Parks and Museums of Nervi, in Genoa, from 23 April to 8 May, was a ‘fantastico successo’.
Despite the often unfavourable weather conditions during the 16 days of the show, 240,000 visitors came to see the fantastic displays at Euroflora 2022. With this edition, Euroflora has regained its title as a leading European event promoting the highest quality of Italian and international plants and flowers.
Chairman Mr Mauro Ferrando says: “Porto Antico di Genova worked intensely for four years and achieved our objectives through the additional challenges posed by the pandemic crisis.”
He continues, explaining the achievement, “Revitalising an international event that is a precious heritage for Genoa and Liguria, both for the promotion of horticultural sector businesses – first and foremost those based in Liguria and Italy – as a tool for enhancing tourism and local assets.”
All Italian regions were represented
During the show, visitors from all over Italy and abroad could admire the best Italian and foreign floriculture and nursery gardening production. Ninety gardens were featured for the show; ten landscape architecture projects were on display, following a highly selective contest, “Micropaesaggi”; and over 300 exhibitors, including extensive collective collections and individual businesses, represented Italy’s first-class products, municipalities, and leading institutions. Exhibitors include the Italian Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry Policies, the Ministry for Ecologic Transitions, the National Association of Nursery Stock Exporters, and the Italian Floriculturist and Nursery Gardeners Association.
One of the most important results was the return of Italy’s significant floriculturists and nursery gardeners as individual businesses and as part of regional collective displays. All Italian regions were represented, with extensive participation from southern Italy. A collaborative presentation including floriculturists and nursery gardeners from Calabria was present for the first time, as well as exhibitors from Campania, Sicily, Sardinia, and Apulia. Leading businesses representing Liguria, Tuscany, Piedmont, Lazio, Emilia, Apulia, and Sardinia, and the official institutional displays represented the Liguria Region – which extended over 3,000 square metres – the Piedmont Region, and the Marche Region.
Increasing international participation
The number of international exhibitors also increased. Among them, the Netherlands, whose display – strongly supported by the Netherlands Embassy in Rome – was designed by the same landscape designer in charge of Floriade Expo 2022, the leading event held every ten years in the Netherlands, which this year will be on from 14 April to 9 October. Other participants from abroad included France with Nantes, Spain with Murcia, the Principality of Monaco with its Jardin Exotique, China, and the United States, represented by Columbus, Ohio.
Director Rino Surace expressed his joy at the event, “Euroflora 2022 has received wide acknowledgement by all national and international floriculture and nursery gardening bodies. First and foremost by AIPH, the International Association of Horticultural Producers, recognising Euroflora as a leading event and praising the show for its best practices.”
Raising the profile of Italian horticulture
The show was attended by leading figures in the floriculture and nursery gardening sector and by the leaders of the leading professional associations. The President of Confagricoltura (the Italian Agricultural Industries Confederation), Massimiliano Giansanti, expressed his hope that Euroflora will strengthen its role as a world-class quality brand attracting sector businesses and creating networks between and among them.
There were also calls to “export” the Euroflora brand and format through participating in Italian floriculture and nursery gardening products in international events, particularly in developing countries.
A political desire to promote Italian horticulture
The Honorable Mr Marzio Liuni, the first signatory of the bill of “Discipline of the horticultural sector”, which is currently undergoing final approval in Italy’s Parliament, visited Euroflora.
Organisers say his visit is a further positive sign of attention for Euroflora on the part of national politicians. Hon. Mr Marzio Liuni, who, in addition to being a parliamentarian, is an agricultural entrepreneur, says: “Euroflora 2022 is a successful event. The location is fantastic, and the Nervi Parks are beautiful, this background with the sea is truly enchanting. First of all I feel at home and think Italians do the world’s best job in the world. I see the desire on the part of Italian flower growers to return to be seen, to show their beauty, their wonderful productions and the ability to compose gardens as history has taught us: this is an added value for Italian floriculture “.
The Liuni Bill is a much-awaited test in the horticultural world to encourage the development of an essential sector for the Italian economy.
“The law is currently in the House,” continues Hon. Liuni. “It was passed unanimously. However, it is currently with the Senate because, unfortunately, the current emergencies – Covid and the war in Ukraine – have slowed the process of laws.”
A Royal visit from a visiting Royal
It is worth mentioning that on the first day of the show HRS Prince Albert of Monaco visited. On that day, he was bestowed with honorary citizenship of Genoa. Prince Albert took the opportunity to visit Euroflora, a horticultural show that the Grimaldi family had previously seen. The Prince was given a picture of his parents’ visit in 1966. He also received the Rose of Genoa, a new rose variety in the colours of the Genoa flag, launched at this Euroflora.
Two hundred and fifty-seven competitions celebrate horticulture
Euroflora held 257 contests, and the winners included professionals, technicians, and gardeners. The award ceremony celebrated individuals for the hard work and great passion they showed throughout Euroflora. In attendance were Chairman Mr Ferrando, Deputy Mayor Mr Massimo Nicolò, Aster CEO Mr Antonello Guiducci, and Euroflora’s Director Mr Surace.
Outstanding record of online visitors
Euroflora 2022 recorded outstanding results digitally and on social media, with booming visitors to the official website (901,000 first-time visitors, a 30 per cent increase compared to the previous 2018 edition). Records also state the figures compared to 2018 include an increase of 45 per cent of online sessions and an increase of 45 per cent page views (3,120,000 to be exact). Video views amounted to 4,700,000 individual replays. As for social profiles, Instagram followers soared by 300 per cent, from 3,000 to today’s 9,235 followers. There was a considerable increase in Facebook followers too.
Ready for Euroflora 2025
While waiting for Euroflora 2025, the sector is now looking forward to Euroflora’s twin event, the Floralies of Nantes. It has recently been renamed Floralies de France, to be held in 2024 upon AIPH’s approval at the 74 Congress, World Ornamental Horticultural Conference, which will officially occur in Almere, Amsterdam, between 27 and 30 September.
This article, by Rachel Wakefield, first appeared on the AIPH website here.
