Harborea, twelfth edition

The 13th, 14th, and 15th of October, Livorno will host the twelfth edition of the plant, herb, flower, exotic plant, vegetable, spice, and seed trade show Harborea.

Ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, October 13th at 2:30 PM.

Organized by the Garden Club Livorno and the Municipality of Livorno, the event will take place as usual in the nineteenth-century park of Villa Mimbelli, a historic residence that houses the prestigious Civic Museum “G. Fattori” in its rooms. The museum will be open continuously from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (until 10:30 PM on Saturdays) and will host, alongside the rich permanent collection of macchiaioli and post-macchiaioli artists, the exhibition “Ermenegildo Bois. An uncommon genius between Livorno and Calcutta”.

The event was presented in the “Sala degli Specchi” of Villa Mimbelli by Marcella Montano Musetti, president of the Garden Club and Harborea, Paola Spinelli, scientific curator and vice-president of Harborea, and Stefania D’Alesio, vice-president of the Garden Club. The councilors Rocco Garufo (Tourism) and Simone Lenzi (Commerce) also attended.

THE TRADE SHOW – There will be a total of 87 exhibitors, including 20 newcomers to Livorno, with a rich and varied offer ranging from ornamental trees to ancient fruits, Mediterranean arboreal and shrub plants, carnivorous plants, contemporary flowers, and forgotten plants such as dahlias, roses, cannas, bird of paradise, begonias, violets, cyclamens, climbing plants, kokedama, succulents, exotic plants, tillandsias, peppers, and aromatic plants, citrus fruits, vegetables, and pumpkins.

In selecting the exhibitors, the organizers have focused on the gardens of the future, eco-friendly and water-efficient, as a message to convey in this era of great climatic changes.

The exhibition also includes exhibitors of garden tools, furnishing, and antiques, leaf and flower-printed organic fabrics, and plant-derived products such as spices, oil, ancient grain flours, rice, chocolate, and licorice.

LITERARY CAFE – The traditional meetings at the Literary Cafe will not be missed. “A Thousand and One Gardens” is the theme for the new days of this floral and horticultural event, which Harborea proposes for its 12th year.

The title recalls the most famous of the Oriental storybooks, “One Thousand and One Nights”, where “1000” in Arabic means infinite or innumerable stories, and it wants to suggest the concept that the narrations on the forms and stories of gardens can be countless. Stories that, like in the book, open one inside the other to create what is defined as metatheater. Thus, Harborea, in this edition, will create a metatheater in its Literary Cafe where the dialogue about gardens will open up to countless knowledge, brought by the guests who will share them. In this great story, there will be the one about the garden that generates well-being or the one created for the King of Naples through the four alchemical symbols. Stories about rose gardens and those of the Popes will intersect with discussions about the Grand Duke of Tuscany’s gardens or experiments in wetlands. We will be enchanted by the countless stories told and read, thus creating three days of theater of culture, a Thousand… and One Garden.

The program includes conferences with prominent figures such as Daniele Angelotti – “The Grand Duke’s Garden – The role of Livorno in plant exchanges during the Medici era,” Davide Picchi – “New Colors in the Garden in light of climate change,” Nicola Tartaglione – “In Caserta, a garden of water, air, earth, and fire for the King of Naples,” Giovanna Alberta Campitelli – “The Popes’ Gardens,” Andrea Mati – “Therapeutic Gardens,” and many other names.

EVENTS AND GREEN WORKSHOPS

The three days will also be rich in appointments and free workshops on various topics for everyone, adults and children. In this edition as well, with the aim of promoting knowledge and culture of green, respect for nature, and the recovery of ancient traditions and crafts, Harborea, together with its exhibitors, offers free workshops to immerse oneself in a total experience. Walking and breathing the essence of a day at Harborea, in the magical park of Villa Mimbelli, becomes a all-round moment in contact with Nature, Beauty, and the Culture of gardens.

At the exhibition stands, there will be demonstrations of cultivation techniques, thematic workshops dedicated to the environment, and many other original initiatives.

For children, specific gardening courses “creating my garden,” floral decoration courses, and a small galenic laboratory are planned at the Garden Pavilion stand no. 86.

Throughout the duration of the event at the Harborea Pavilion stand no. 84, miniature gardens created by members of the Livorno Garden Club will be exhibited. Visitors will be able to express their preferences and contribute to the award for the most beautiful garden.

And one more new feature: this year, Harborea will be open until 10:30 PM, on Saturday evening, and the “G. Fattori” Museum will also follow the same schedule.