Flower show returns

There will be more than 1,500 species of begonia at this year’s Floria Putrajaya

PUTRAJAYA will be abloom once again in June for Floria Putrajaya.

Themed “Mesmerising Colours”, the seventh Floria Putrajaya will feature more than 1,500 species of begonias among the 400,000 different plant species. The annual flower show will be held from June 14 to 22 at its new permanent location in Promenade Precinct 4.

Putrajaya Corporation (PPj) president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said the new site would be a flower garden throughout the year until the next Floria Putrajaya.

“The flower garden will be about 50% smaller than the flower show. It will become a new tourist attraction in Putrajaya,” he said during the event’s soft launch at PPj’s Cempaka Sari lobby. Also present was Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The upcoming Floria Putrajaya will see more themed gardens compared to last year. Some of the new gardens include Wedding Garden, City Garden, Designer Garden, Fantasy Garden, Futuristic Garden and Visit Malaysia Garden.

Others include the China-Malaysia Friendship Park, Hanging Garden and Cat Garden while last year’s Royal Garden, Tea Party Garden and Innovation Garden will be making a comeback.

Another attraction is the Crop Bazaar and Horticulture Market that will see traders selling gardening tools, decorative plants, biotechnology products as well as offer landscape services.

There will be 37 participants from 22 countries — Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, India, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, South Africa, Kenya, the United States of America and Spain. A total of 20 primary and secondary schools as well as universities will be taking part.

Adnan (right) checking out the begonias at the event’s soft launch while Aseh (left), PPj vice- president Datuk Omairi Hashim (second left) and Federal Territories ministry secretary- general Datuk Seri Adnan Md Ikhsan look on.

In the evening, visitors will be dazzled with “Magic of the Night”, a series of colourful neon floats on Putrajaya lake. Entrance fee is RM3 (adults) and RM2 for children between the ages of seven and 12.

The opening hours for Floria Putrajaya is 9am to 10.30pm (Monday to Thursday), and from 9am to midnight (Friday to Sunday). For details, visit www.putrajaya.gov.my or www.floriaputrajaya.com.my

-thestar online.