A traditional date on Milan’s spring calendar, three-day horticultural event Orticola is usually held in May against the backdrop of the gardens Indro Montanelli, in via Palestro, as well as piazza Cavour.
History of the event
The Orticola Flower Show was created for Milan in 1996 and apart from being a flower show, it is also a fundraising event.
The organiser, indeed, is Orticola di Lombardia (the region’s Horticultural Society), a no profit organisation founded in 1854, whose mission is to improve the environmental heritage of Milan and the awareness of locals about Nature.
Traditionally, the Orticola Show hosts the most important showcase for Italian research nurseries and features important itineraries to give visibility to young talents as well as promoting the knowledge and interest in rare, exotic, unusual flowers, plants and fruit alike, as well as encouraging the cultivation of flowers, the improvement of gardens and development of the art of floriculture on a national scale.
Featuring a special focus on works by well-known and emerging talents in nursery, the event also provides insightful highlights on flowers from the meadows and indigenous Italian flora which can adapt to all gardens, turning Orticola into a not-to-be-missed event for botanists as well as fervent collectors.
Art and Entertainment
Besides plants and flowers, which play as absolute protagonists, Orticola also serves as backdrop to ever-changing exhibitions and site-specific installations of art creations by artists of high national and international renown.
Moreover, Orticola is also the ideal chance to enjoy convivial moments with fun activities designed for children and adults alike, who can explore the green spaces of the park, shop, play and spend time in the open air while discovering interesting details on the care and protection of any kind of plant.
Good news even for those who don’t have a deep interest in plant safeguard: Orticola is a must-try experience at least once for its picturesque attire. In this occasion indeed – especially on the day of its inauguration – participants are asked to dress in white and wear colourful and flower-embellished accessories, be it a bandage or a bon-ton hat. This, to keep unaltered the original flare connected to this peculiar event.
The Location
Indro Montanelli Public Gardens is a splendid space situated directly between the Planetarium, the Natural History Museum and Palazzo Dugnani. The gardens were renamed and dedicated to famous Italian writer and journalist Indro Montanelli shortly after his death. Many in the city of Milan consider these gardens as an oasis offering the perfect escape from the city’s hectic atmosphere. Complete with small waterfalls, bridges, ponds and an intricate system of paths, Indro Montanelli Public Gardens is a popular destination for bikers, joggers and the casual walker.
>> Read more about the upcoming edition
Indro Montanelli Public Gardens
Bastioni di Porta Venezia
M1 (red line) Palestro, or M1 (red line) Porta Venezia, or M3 (yellow line) Turati, or M3 (yellow line) Repubblica
www.orticola.org
