Has anyone ever been to a Floriade before? My husband and I have tickets for opening day of the Floriade 2022 and would appreciate any tips, ideas or suggestions people may have for us. We will be staying in Amsterdam and taking the train into Almere. Thanks!
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Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7882 posts
We went to Floriade 2012, when it was in Venlo. We drove there from a few days in Cologne, because it was relatively close-by. We did not sleep in Venlo, but got there in the morning and didn't stay late enough for night-time dining or drinking on site. I sort of remember that we felt we did the show justice in 6 or 7 hours, but I'm sure we didn't enter every pavillion. I would not compare Keukenhof with it, just as I wouldn't compare Keukenhof with the Bronx Botanical Garden in NY City. Physically, it was maybe distantly "like" Longwood Gardens, but much, much more commercial.
Note that it is unclear whether our experience can predict the organization of the event ten years later, during a global pandemic! We were not sorry that we went, but as a connoisseur of outdoor gardens (I mean that to describe us, not to brag ... ) we found it MORE of a Trade and Tourism Fair than a Global Garden Show. I DO NOT mean that the plantings were in any way disappointing. I'm saying that the indoor pavilions, the signage and messaging seemed consistently related to national promotion (of each exhibiting nation, I mean) as much as plants and gardening. How does it compare with a BUGA show in Germany? I've only been to one BUGA, but it was similar in size, and while it may have had plant purchase opportunities, the BUGA had no feel (despite its name) of governmental self-promotion. it was much more botanically-oriented.
We had some difficulty with PIN Credit Card only (human staffed) entry booths, but I forget the details. And that was a long time ago. We went (as you say you will) VERY EARLY in the run of the show. And we noticed that the perennials and shrubs looked very much "just planted", rather than "flourishing."
Please note the distance-ing effect of typing on the internet. I DON'T mean to sound like I'm bad-mouthing the event at all. I'm just trying to respond in a fair and balanced way to your OP question. We did not regret going in 2012. I think the location in a suburb of Amsterdam is a big plus, although it might be worth looking up the hectares in 2022 and comparing with 2012 (?) If the premium for a multi-day ticket is small, I'd consider going twice, but you probably have the Aalsmeer Flower Auction and Keukenhof on your list already.