Floriade Expo 2022 Amsterdam-Almere (The Netherlands) was an International Horticultural Exhibition, accredited by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) on 1 September 2015 and recognised by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on 15 November 2017. The Expo was conceived as a living laboratory in Almere with creative, green solutions that make cities more fun, more liveable and more sustainable, with the theme “Growing Green Cities”.

Floriade Expo 2022 consisted of inspiring exhibits, with more than 30 countries from all over the world showcasing their vision of a green city. Next to the international exhibits, the Dutch horticulture sector together with national participants exhibited their green solutions, such as the spectacular 10,000m2 greenhouse complex, beautiful gardens and innovative buildings with surprising designs made from sustainable materials. The green structure of the Expo site and some of the buildings are also a core part of the future city district being developed post-Expo.

The gardens and exhibits were situated on a unique site organised an arboretum - with a living catalogue of trees, plants and flowers, arranged in alphabetical order. A cable car allowed visitors to be familiarized with this sustainable mode of transport for green cities and to get an amazing view of the park.

The inspiring programme and sparkling line-up of events and festivities ensured that Floriade Expo 2022 was a lively and dynamic place to be. Each day brought something new to discover and experience. There were workshops, pop-ups, art installations, as well as theatre, live music and orchestras, cultural events and entertainment - all contributing to make Floriade Expo 2022 a vivid example of green living.

In the post-Expo phase, the Floriade site is being redeveloped into Hortus: a green, healthy urban district for the future.

Growing Green Cities

The overall theme of Floriade Expo 2022 was "Growing Green Cities". The Earth has seven billion inhabitants. More than 50% of them now live in cities. By 2050 this percentage will have increased to nearly 70%. With continued, relentless urbanisation, there is no other option than to look for ways of keeping cities safe, healthy and attractive - to find a better balance between 'grey' and 'green'. In this context, four subthemes were developed and showcased at the Expo:

• Greening the city - Visitors were immersed in the arboretum's greenery and the site’s green structures, which make cities more attractive;
• Feeding the city - Sustainable food production, safety and food security solutions; agroforestry, experimental and sustainable agriculture and horticulture;
• Healthying the city - The contribution of green structures to a healthy living environment, as well as the contribution made by green spaces to the physical and mental vitality of city inhabitants;
• Energising the city - Sustainable energy solutions, as well as the contribution of green spaces towards a vital city.

An eco-friendly life in the city. Sustainably grown foods. Clean energy. A healthy living environment. Increasing numbers of people are interested in these themes and try to live accordingly in their everyday lives. These themes have even more undiscovered options and opportunities. Floriade Expo 2022 presents an optimistic future. It provides a stage for those that think big both nationally and internationally, innovators and intelligent types with green solutions that will make cities increasingly liveable and sustainable as well as more fun.

Floriade Expo 2022 was conceived around an arboretum covering the whole site: a catalogue of trees enriched with plants, crops and flower bulbs, arranged in alphabetical order. Each item had a demonstrable function in the context of a green city. For example, some lower a city’s temperature, others store water, clean the air, or create energy. The arboretum was an idea of architect and urban planner Winy Maas, who developed the master plan for the Expo.

Each plot within the Expo grounds was allocated a letter of the alphabet. A 4-metre-wide strip around each plot contained plants and trees, the botanical names of which start with the letter allocated to the plot.