For the second consecutive year, Bulgaria participates in the world's largest flower gardening show in Hampton Court Palace, London. It can be seen by Londoners and tourists between July 3rd and 8th. The author of the Bulgarian flower masterpiece called "Garden of the Crossroads" is once again Hristo Yordanov, a fourth-generation gardener. Last year, Bulgaria was the first participant from Eastern Europe. Then the topic of the colorful composition was the telephone country code +0359 written with plants. This time, Hristo Yordanov has a different inspiration. The motto of the Bulgarian garden is "The Silk Road" which for centuries formed a historically significant trade route between the civilizations of the East and the West.
"I want to present Bulgaria as part of the botanical diversity of the Silk Road”, gardener Hristo Yordanov told Radio Bulgaria. “For me Bulgaria is the gateway to Europe from the East both in historical and geopolitical terms. I will use those flowers that have come to us, moving along the Silk Road."
Hristo Yordanov traveled to London on the eve of Midsummer Day (Eniovden on June 24) in order to start building the colorful composition precisely for this day dedicated to the magical properties of herbs. Most of the plants included in his work are exactly herbs that have come to us from the East. Hristo has woven into his work the Bulgarian flag made of white, green and red. Pathways of flowers in white, green and red will be "painted" using 350 larkspurs, 450 lavenders, 300 basils, 500 roots of Mursal tea - an endemic species in the Rhodopes, 460 roots of savory, 380 of mint, 420 of sage, and 400 begonias. An interesting highlight the work are the arches of willow twigs forming a spiral. All this, with a total weight over a ton, travelled to London several days ago together with Hristo Yordanov.
In the year of the Summer Olympics in London, the Bulgarian garden designer dedicates his work to the great Bulgarian gymnast and Olympic medalist Yordan Yovtchev. He isthe first gymnast in the world who will compete in the Olympics for the sixth time. Yovchev is a Bulgarian whose example has given courage to Hristo to participate in the world's largest horticultural exhibition at Hampton Court Palace. The hereditary gardener also has big ambitions for an award in the category "Summer Gardens" despite the serious competition.
"I am aiming at the gold”, Hristo Yordanov says. “I do not know if I can brave the big money that was given to, let’s say, St. Petersburg, which will show the Hermitage museum in flowers. The Tourism Fund of Jordan also invested a lot of money for their garden through which they want to advertise Jordan as a tourist destination. But I saw what was the reaction when I presented our project to the Royal Horticultural Society. They were impresssed with the fact that we use flowers that are typical for this time of year and especially the fact that the composition is made of willow. They liked the project a lot. I believe that its presentation in London will be successful."
Part of Hristo’s inspiration is the home garden of his mother, a gardener herself among whose changing seasonal flowers he grew up and which he called "a paradise." The design of the Bulgarian garden at Hampton Court Flower Show 2012 belongs to the Div Roshkov – an association of three young landscape architects. Author of the song which will offer musical background to the "Garden of the Crossroads" is Nikola Gruev, more popular by his artistic pseudonym Kotarashki. Financially, the Bulgarian colorful work of horticulture has been "adopted" by Taofes Ltd, offering "green solutions".
English version Rossitsa Petcova
