A few years back we stumbled by complete chance into a wonderful garden festival taking place in the historic town of Koblenz on the Rhine. We were spending a few days there and kept seeing signs for BUGA everywhere! Intrigued, we finally asked someone in the local tourist office and found that Koblenz was hosting the biannual “Bundesgartenschau”, an exhibition of gardening and horticulture held every 2 years in a different town or city in Germany.
In 2017 it is Berlin’s turn to act as host but this year’s event will be combined with the Internationale Garten Ausstellung (IGA for short, see here for more details). So by way of a preview here are some photos from the Koblenz festival in April 2011 – a real blast from the past!
Signs In The Palace Grounds
We were there over the Easter holidays and the colours were glorious. No doubt they would have continued to develop and change as the months went by. We had a great time in Koblenz, which is a beautiful spot at the confluence of the Rhine & Moselle rivers, with high cliffs overlooking the junction point at Deutsches Eck. The old fortress, Ehrenbreitstein, that perches on the opposite river bank can be reached by the Koblenz Cable Car.
The castle grounds at the top of the cable ride were a profusion of spring colours – the tulips especially were at their best.
But there were also indoor pavilions housing more exotic plants, a wealth of horticultural information and (right up our street) a wine and food festival taking place in conjunction with the flower festival!
Back down at river level, the beautiful Baroque style Electoral Palace provided yet another stage for some wonderful displays.
The IGA in Berlin is due to start next month on the 13th April and will run until the 15th October 2017. It is being held in the former Marzahn Recreational Park in the outer area of Marzahn-Hellersdorf to the north east of the city. If it is half as good as the Koblenz one was a few years back, it would be well worth taking a trip there if you happen to be visiting Berlin in the next few months!
Copyright © 2017 Rosemary Thomas Le Chic En Rose. All rights reserved
Le Chic En Rose 
I love when you stumble upon something amazing like this Rosemary – the colours of all those flowers are amazing. I especially love the tulips. We’ve been to Koblenz in summer and had a great time, so nice to revisit in your post.
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It was such a happy coincidence Joy! We’d travelled down by train from Bruges to Koblenz and were just there for 4 days. Couldn’t believe our luck – the tulips were stunning such an array of colours. Glad the post brought back happy memories – Koblenz would have been so lovely in the summer too!
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What a lovely bonus to your visit to Koblenz! 🙂 Every year as it comes around to tulip time I think how I’d love a visit to Keukenhof. Mick would love it too, but I hardly dare suggest this year as we’ve already been gallivanting so much. 🙂
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Keukenhof would be an amazing trip Jo – have seen photos of the tulips there and they are absolutely stunning! Hopefully you’ll get there one year! We still talk about the garden show in Koblenz – just perfect timing! 🙂
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Really loved the tulips! what colors; truly beautiful.
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Thanks Rashmi – we were so lucky to see such beautiful tulip displays! The range of colours was amazing! 🙂
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Talk about serendipity! What good luck, to be there at just the right moment to see all this!
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Serendipity is the perfect word Kerry! Such a “happy coincidence” and the setting in such a beautiful town was the perfect backdrop!
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Ah, tulips, my favourite spring flower. Such a jewel. And I love the plantings here with the wallflowers, the pansies, the muscari. I shall be back to study more closely.
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Yes tulips are certainly my spring favourites too Jude! You would have been in 7th heaven here with all the wonderful displays and so much information too about gardening in general. The historical gardens were really interesting too and the way they incorporated the festival into the existing gardens and historical buildings was very clever!
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What a wonderful festival. Thanks for sharing these delightful spring flowers, Rosemary.
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Thanks Ruth – I particularly love tulips so it was so lovely to see all the many colour varieties here! The festival was wonderful! 🙂
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We must have been in Koblenz at the same time! We also went on Easter weekend for the BUGA!
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what a wonderful festival …and yes collection of tulip is just amazing..these kind of festivals should be held because flowers reduce stress and stimulate the brain
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Definitely Albert – you can’t help feeling relaxed wandering round such a beautiful display of flowers! 🙂
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Looks beautiful! The colors are gorgeous! So lucky that you discovered it! 🙂
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It was a wonderful case of serendipity – the flowers were stunning and the whole place looked gorgeous! 🙂
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This is a breathtaking place, Rose! I would love to visit it one day!
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Koblenz is a lovely place with or without the flower festival! Any excuse to visit Berlin too!
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Truly lovely views… I was not aware what a wonderful city Koblenz is. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
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Thanks – you’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the post – Koblenz is a beautiful city. Sorry for the late reply – have been away travelling and now catching up again! 🙂
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…We´ve been planing since a while to visit the IGA/Berlin, now luckily the weather got nicer and we can do it. Koblenz is also on my list now – thanks to your article 🙂 A wonderful weekend time from Berlin!
Luiza
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That sounds wonderful Luiza – the garden festival was spectacular in Koblenz and am sure the Berlin one will be too. Love Berlin as well – enjoy! 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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🙂
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