The Botanical Garden and GUM welcome Floraliën Ghent
From 29 April to 8 May 2022, Ghent will put flowers in the spotlight... with "My Paradise, My Worldly Garden", the theme of the Ghent Floralies. There is plenty to see in the Botanical Garden and GUM as well.
The 36th edition of the Floraliën returns to a familiar site: the ICC buildings, Floraliën Hall and the Kuipke, all of which are located in the heart of the Citadelpark, Ghent's green lung. Our Botanical Garden is your starting point for everything connected to scientific research. Here, you will find Technopool Sierteelt's science fair, installations by Team Natuur & Gezondheid and an interactive table by Flore de Gand.
123-piano will be joining in the fun as well! Everyone will get to take a turn at the piano amid vibrant greenery, with a gorgeous view of the pond and street artist ROA's masterpiece, or enjoy some lovely music played by passers-by.
The GUM is also excitedly looking forward to welcoming the national and international visitors to the Floraliën. That is why our museum and the exhibition PHALLUS. Norm & Form will exceptionally be open on Wednesday as well – so you can visit the museum and exhibition on any day of the Floraliën.
Floraliën programme in the Botanical Garden
Behind the luscious abundance on display at the ICC, the Floraliën Hall and the Kuipke is a whole network of scientists hard at work every day to shape the floriculture of the future.
Learn all about their horticultural research and innovation at the educational science fair 'Psst, here comes the future!' developed by Technopool Sierteelt. A free trail takes you past installations and stands created by the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ghent University, Ghent University College and the PCS (Ornamental Plant Research Centre).
The latter, for example, shows how plants are more than just beautiful and edible: they can also be optimised to positively affect temperatures, the environment and mental health. At the fair, you can also learn more about innovative research into plant breeding, new plants and trees that are better adapted to climate change, and the use of natural enemies to control pests.
In this time and age when nature is disappearing before our very eyes, scientific research confirms what we have known intuitively for centuries: nature is good for your health! It has a positive effect on our wellbeing, whether psychologically, socially or physically. Did you know, for example, that nature boosts our immune system and reduces the stress hormone cortisol in our bloodstream? Or that it encourages us to exercise and is linked to reduced feelings of depression and loneliness?
The project NATUUR maakt gezond ('NATURE makes you healthy') wants to draw attention to the theme of 'nature and health'. Five installations in Ghent's Botanical Garden allow you to experience for yourself what nature does for your health.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, horticulture flourished in and around Ghent. The fame of Ghent's Botanical Garden and local horticulturalists extended far beyond the walls of the city and the country's borders. The aim of the Flore De Gand project is to remind us of the rich history of horticulture in Ghent and the heritage buildings and intangible heritage that are part of it.
During the Floraliën, you can explore photos and archive material about the history of horticultural education in Ghent at a large, interactive table in the Palmarium. Would you like to (re)discover key historic sites in and around Ghent? Be sure to pick up our brochure with a selection of exciting cycling and walking routes.
