Finale 'Garvinea SCHOOL GARDEN OLYMPICS' at Floriade 2012

3 May 2012

In recent months 4,400 school pupils from Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany have participated in the international Garvinea breeding contest. In early February the children started off to compete with each other in growing the best Garvinea for the grand finale day at Floriade 2012 in Venlo. On Saturday May 5th an international jury full of personalities, including Peter Seabrook, will decide who is this year’s best International Garvinea grower.

Garvinea as a textbook example
Ask a child to draw a flower and chances are it will draw a Gerbera. The bright colors and simple flower shape are recognizable for children. Garvinea flowers resemble those of a Gerbera. That makes sense, since they belong to the same family. Gerberas are only suitable for indoor use. Garvinea, on the other hand, brings colour to the terraces and gardens and blooms abundantly from early spring until the first frost. The plant is resistant to many weather conditions, pests and diseases. With the international Garvinea growing competition Garvinea breeder Florist Holland aims to teach school children the joys of growing plants, this in close collaboration with Floriade Kids, the Belgian Countryside Classes and the British initiative Miracle Gro'wers. During three months schoolchildren took care of their own plant. They learned about plant nutrition, the importance of water, soil and light. The best plant of each school is selected to be presented by its young grower during the finale on Saturday May 5th. From the 4 participating countries, 10 finalists have been selected to represent their school at the finals.

An international jury full of celebrities!
The young growers present their finished product to an international jury of experts. Lodewijk Hoekstra, known from the Dutch TV program's Eigen Huis & Tuin and Green Kids, will take place in the jury. From England garden guru and columnist (The Sun Gardening) Peter Seabrook will judge the plants. Ivo Pauwels, author of several gardening books, editor of the Belgium Green Fingers gardening TV program and presenter of a gardening program on the Belgium  Radio 2, will represent Belgium as a juror. From Germany, Peter Ambrosius, Gerbera expert and founder of the Gerbera museum in South Africa, will take a close look at the plants. The presentation of the finale is in the hands of Lex Uiting, known for the Children’s Song Contest.

We invite you attend this event. The finale of the Garvinea School Garden Olympics will take place on Saturday May 5th, 2012 at the Floriade in Venlo, where we will welcome you at 13:30 in the theater at the Villa Flora. We would like to ask all representatives of the media to register your visit to the finale by signing up on http://www.floriade.com/press/accreditation , which allows you direct access to the Floriade.