Spring is here, and whenever the first green tentatively appears, it’s Giardina time again. Giardina 24 heralds the arrival of spring. This year, the largest international indoor gardening experience invites you to a unique event from March 13 to 17.
This year’s Giardina is all about the multifaceted design of gardens, terraces and balconies. Renowned gardening companies and newcomers will be presenting their ideas and interpretations of the main theme in impressive show gardens. They demonstrate how a modern, biodiverse, sustainable and multifunctional outdoor area can be created.
At Jardin Suisse, cool concrete elements coexist with creative hanging gardens. The association is thus highlighting the many ways in which plants can be used to create new visual experiences. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
Giardina 2024 will take place from March 13 to 17, 2024 at Messe Zürich. Opening hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Fridays until 10 p.m. and at weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Winkler Richard Naturgärten with pool and old VW bus, which arouses wanderlust but serves very practical purposes. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
Once again this year, Giardina offers Switzerland’s best garden designers a unique platform for great ideas. It is a stage for up-and-coming newcomers and established big names in the industry. When the doors to this year’s edition of Giardina open tomorrow, visitors can expect a garden spectacle for all the senses, as exhibitors have transformed the halls of Messe Zürich into a green paradise over the past 10 days. “The opportunity to stroll through blooming gardens in the exhibition halls, to smell and feel spring – that is unique. I’m really looking forward to this year’s Giardina and the reactions of visitors,” says Encarnación Dellai, Director of Giardina, during a preview of the exhibition attended by this editorial team.
Gartist presents the world’s smallest farm at Giardina. The Hoffarm is the solution for local and pure food production in a small space. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
Giardina 24 takes account of the realization that the significance of the garden is constantly changing and reflects the needs of society. She writes: “Whereas a simple lawn used to dominate the scene in many places, today the garden should be multifunctional.
It should offer space for relaxation and tranquillity, for a balance to everyday life and for working from home, but at the same time it should also be used as a playroom or serve as an outdoor kitchen or kitchen garden. It should adapt flexibly to its owners and extend the living area as seamlessly as possible. It should also reflect the seasons with their colors, smells and textures and appeal to all the senses.”
Giardina is the place to go for inspiration.
At Giardina 2024, renowned and innovative gardening companies and exhibitors such as Winkler Richard Naturgärten, Gartist, Kobel Gartengestaltung, STOBAG, Simone Rüegg Landschaftsarchitektur and the business association JardinSuisse will be showing 1:1 garden examples of what modern and sustainable gardens can look like in reality. The multifaceted show gardens and idea gardens guarantee a wealth of inspiration for your own garden, terrace and balcony.
Kobel shines with its Lost Garden, old boulders and a fantastic stock of trees. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
Once again this year, the show garden by Hansueli Kobel and his team was an absolute highlight of Gardina for the editorial team of WUW magazine. With huge, mossy boulders, wall stones and ancient granite columns, enchanted paths and squares, his company has created a “lost garden” with great attention to detail in which you would love to lose yourself. An old stock of trees, which the company has brought into the exhibition hall at great expense, and, as a modern contrast, an ecological pool made of steel complete the picture.
It’s a wonderful place to dream. The Kobel show garden is also a good place to relax at Giardina 2024. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
According to Kobel, the Giardina garden is modeled on generous, powerful and touching gardens and landscapes, places and gardens left to their own devices that have been created through natural and random processes. With this work, the company wants to inspire and help turn forgotten garden corners and green spaces into imaginative and artistic gardens, green oases and habitats with a great diversity of species.
Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
The erratic blocks, wall stones and granite columns used by Kobel for the design are all found objects that have been waiting to be discovered, unnoticed for countless years under a wild growth.
Three elaborate YouTube videos make it clear how long and complex the path from idea to realization is for such an ambitious exhibition project. They also show how much heart and soul the employees put into it and how much attention to detail went into the project. You can watch the video trilogy here (part 1), here (part 2) and here (part 3) on YouTube. The effort has paid off: this year, Kobel Gartenbau has once again won the coveted Giardina Gold Award Mastergarden with its work of art.
The highlights of Giardina 2024
There is also a lot to experience live at Giardina. A fragrance essence is being distilled here. Photo: © Werner Mäder, Uetikon
- 30,000 m2 of concentrated inspiration and an exceptional selection of products for life in the garden
- Around 270 exhibitors from 7 European countries
- Versatile show gardens of up to 420 m2 on the main theme “Multifaceted and worth living in”
- National and international brands show new products and unusual objects for life in the garden
- Artisans from all over Switzerland present their unique pieces
- Focus topics: urban gardening, vertical greening, soil scarcity, heat reduction, ecological cycles, sustainability and biodiversity
- Interactive workshops and presentations
