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Between flowered hats and blasé elegance, Orticola returned to the Indro Montanelli public gardens in a riot of colors and scents. And we have reached the XXVII edition, from 9 to Sunday 12 May. “Let’s take the future of our planet into our hands” is the invitation that Orticola makes to everyone, but especially to the youngest because they will be “the real future of the planet”.
The first thing that strikes you upon entry are the Bouganvillea collections of the most diverse varieties of Tamo Flor; the appeal of this colorful corner is the most attractive for professional photographers and mobile phones. Among the exhibitors, the succulent plant collections of Cactus mania by Manera stand out while for orchid enthusiasts the advice is to see the re-blooming Paphiopedilum Pinocchio proposed by Il cork in Roccastrada (GR). Barni, as always, is a certainty when it comes to roses, and this year it amazes with the Enrico Caruso, a warm and very fragrant pink, as well as with the speckled Red Intuition and the purple Minerva. The flesh pink Iris Bride Blush by Fiorichiari are among the goodies of the day.
The winners
But let’s get to the awards of the year. The award for the best botanical collection went to Raziel for the collection of South African bulbs, second place was given to Pollicirosa di Rare Piante for the Spiraea collection and third place to Orto Strabilia for the Oxalis collection. The prize for the most significant plant in terms of rarity or beauty of form was awarded to Water Nursery for the Periploca graeca; then A&G Floroortoagricola Asseretto was awarded for the Fouqueria Splendens and third place ex aequo went to Renato Ronco Vivai Torino with the Acer palmatum ‘Aurantiaca Ronco’ and Rosa Edward Hyams from Le Rose Profumate. The special jury prize went to the small Piante Pazze nurseries for the collection of rustic orchids and to Il Giardino di Famiglia – for the Plantariumzen dahlias
Among the new entries of the year, a collection of tropical hot peppers is proposed on the Happy Plant Aromi&Piccante stand; Rosa Alissar Princess of Phenicia, the first ever-blooming Hulthemia persica hybrid, is visible at the Le RoseProfumate stand of Annalisa Glorio; and then we find Piante Pazze by Marco Toffoletti, an Italian company completely dedicated to the cultivation and sale of rustic orchids for temperate climates. Roses, peonies, perennials, shrubs and particular trees can be found at the Il Corbezzolo Nursery, while the Ribero Nurseries display a collection of Weigela, a beautiful flowering shrub. And also Vivaio Piante di Antonina Trio which offers, in addition to various citrus fruits, also indoor plants such as Monstera deliciosa, Strelitzia augusta and the Calathea and Marantha genera. G&C Antiquariato Casa e Giardino suggests furnishing accessories and, again for the first time, we also find Il Mercante Antichità by Mario Alberghini, with its period garden furniture