Putrajaya Floria 2010 – Flower and Garden Festival.
Photo by Wuan.
Wuan and I had missed the Penang International Floralfest for a few years in a row due to the timing. When we read about the flower and garden festival being held at Putrajaya, we decided we should not miss this one. We used the Maju Expressway and discovered that it took slightly less than 20 minutes only from Bulatan Pandan to Putrajaya. The last time we went, it took us about 1 hour via the Kuala Lumpur – Seremban Expressway.
Grand Flower Bed – Putrajaya Floria 2010.
The event was held at the Waterfront at Precinct 2. We had to circle a few times around the place looking for an accessible parking. We could not find any. Wuan asked one of the officers in uniform and he directed us to park at the space reserved for VIPs. Still, Perbadanan Putrajaya, the agency under the Ministry of Federal terrotories and Urban Wellbeing, that organised the event and responsible for the infrastructure, should have allocated space for vehicles for disabled people visiting the festival.
1 Malaysia floral structure greeting visitors to the Putrajaya Floria 2010.
The theme flower for this year’s festival is heliconia. The flower of this plant looks like lobster claws with its fire engine red colour. There were also an abundance of yellow and pink heliconias. The floral pavilion featured Heliconia floral arrangements from various countries like Australia, Netherlands, Serbia, Taiwan, Japan and Canada. I especially like the entry by Koji Ninomiya which he called “a contemporary Japanese garden based on a traditional Zen dry garden with a bamboo fence.” The garden exuded a sense of serenity amidst the hubbub of people and camera flashes.
Vortex In Bloom – heliconia floral composition by Joel Marc Frappier of Canada.
Outside the pavilion were flowerbeds of chrysanthemums and a variety of flowers that added splashes of red, yellow, orange and an assorment of other colours that livened up the atmnosphere. Themed gardens located opposite the pavilion featured bonsai, orchids and heliconias. I did not check them out as most were not accessible by wheelchair because of the loose pebbles and lawn used for paving the pathways. Moreover, the heat was unbearable. I found respite inside the floral pavilion while Wuan went shooting around the theme gardens. There were also stalls selling plants, gardens products and crafts that we did not fully explored due to the poor condition of the pathways as well. They were littered with loose rocks that made wheeling around almost impossible.
“Seisei-Tei 3” – Contemporary Japanese garden by Koji Ninomiya- Putrajaya Floria 2010.
We may go back again this weekend as there were other parts of the festival we have not covered yet, namely the garden showcases by local authorities (PBT), NGOs, universities, schools and the private sector. This festival is worth a visit for photographers, flower lovers and gardeners. However, a large umbrella and lots of drinking water is a must. We left early because of the heat and also because I could not find an accessible toilet to ease my near-bursting bladder.
More photographs of the festival: Images of Floria Putrajaya 2010
Putrajaya Floria 2010 began on July 10 and ends on July 18. More information and directions to the festival here.
