GREEN IS LIFE from August 31 to September 2, 2023 in Warsaw

The fair will be attended by over 150 exhibitors from 9 countries of Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, France, Lithuania and Hungary, who will present, above all, new products - plants, but also many other products, services, machines and technologies for nursery and green areas, as well as pro-ecological solutions for landscape architecture typical of the horticultural industry.

Use the potential that the whole green industry meets at GREEN IS LIFE and take advantage of the meeting zone at the trade fair for comfortable talks with exhibitors and other visitors!

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The green future from the perspective of three decades

Like every year, the Polish Nurserymen Association and the Agencja Promocji Zieleni (Greenery Promotion Agency) are preparing a one-of-a-kind, well-known and respected trade fair ZIELEN TO ZYCIE (GREEN IS LIFE), which will be held in Warsaw at the turn of August and September. This time, however, the organizers are granting special consideration to the event, which was established exactly 30 years ago to popularize trees, shrubs, perennials and other plants, as well as gardens and green spaces. The thirtieth birthday of Poland’s greenest trade fair will be supplemented with an extensive program of industry meetings and seminars, which are expected to bring a substantial dose of information and answers to important questions about the future. All of this – under the slogan "New times, new challenges", which is a counterpoint to the 30-year tradition of the GREEN IS LIFE fair, and at the same time proves that the organizers of the event are attentive and respond to the needs of the changing market.

GREEN IS LIFE – a round anniversary

The exhibition, which was founded in 1993 and has evolved over the three decades of its existence, is now called The International Trade Fair for Plants, Horticultural Technology and Landscape Architecture GREEN IS LIFE.

The 30 years can be briefly summarized with the following figures: • 412,026 visitors; • 123,831 professional visitors from 69 countries; • 2,140 exhibitors from 32 countries; • 22 editions of the GREEN CITY Conference, with 243 topics; • 7954 participants of the on-site events accompanying the fair – conferences, seminars, workshops; • 434 cultivars entered in the Plant Novelties Competition during 15 years of its existence.

Over the past years GREEN IS LIFE has become more than just a three-day event. It has grown and transformed in response to the market changes and the industry needs. It comprises 3 areas of year-round activities – trade fair, training courses and publications – all under the auspices of the Polish Nurserymen Association (Zwiazek Szkólkarzy Polskich). GREEN IS LIFE has also evolved into an online platform, which was launched in July 2023 to integrate and stimulate the industry even more efficiently.

"This means there is a lot to celebrate on the occasion of the Green is Life 30th birthday. To mark the anniversary, on August 31 we will organize the evening gala for exhibitors and invited guests. In addition, we will be offering plants to the first five hundred visitors every day during the fair. We will also apply a 10% discount for participants of seminars and training courses as well as a 20% discount on publications purchased at the fair”, informs Joanna Filipczak, the president of the Greenery Promotion Agency.

Thirtieth edition – in numbers

More than 150 exhibitors are expected in 2023, which is about as many as last year. As usual, the largest group of participants will be nurserymen, who will present trees, shrubs, perennials, climbers – they constitute about 67.5% of the total exhibitors. The next sections are the following: "Techniques, technologies and sales support" – approximately 19%, "Equipment, materials and decorations" – around 8%, "Flowers, potted plants" – about 2%, "Publications" – approx. 2% , "Associations" – 1.5%. Nine countries will be represented: Poland, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands.

The organizers of the fair expect more than 10,000 visitors, mainly professional guest, among whom the largest groups, like in 2022, will be: plant producers (30%); landscape architects and contractors (22.5%); garden center and DIY managers and traders (13.5%); representatives of local governments, housing administrators and public investors (11%); florists (7%).

The fair will be held at its usual location – the EXPO XXI Warsaw Center, at 12/14 Pradzynskiego Street.

Climate and biodiversity – conferences and demonstration garden

The challenges referred to in this year’s leitmotif are connected with climate change and, consequently, the need for ever-increasing care for biodiversity and water management, as well as the use of eco-friendly technologies in plant cultivation or the development of gardens and amenity plantings. These topics will be discussed at: The GREEN CITY CONFERENCE on the second day of the fair – Friday, September 1, the GARDEN CREATORS' MEETING – September 2, as well as a SHOW GARDEN created by Gardenphilia with examples of biodiverse flowerbeds, modern, recycled equipment and sustainable technology – available throughout the Green is Life 2023.

The prominent British designer Noel Kingsbury will talk about biodiverse flowerbeds and other landscaping solutions that keep up with the times – in his lecture "Green spaces of the future", which will open the 24th Green City Conference at Green is Life. During this valuable forum, which has been accompanying the fair since 2000, there will also be plenty of other hot topics, such as flower meadows, renaturalization of river valleys or the changing form and role of home gardens. "While meeting current problems and needs, the conference will present ‘pro nature’ solutions – on a small scale and from the perspective of large agglomerations”, points out Joanna Filipczak. The lecture under the logo of Green City of Europe initiative, entitled "New times, new challenges – the building of an urban ecosystem" will be presented by the experienced Polish landscape architect Miroslaw Sztuka.

Other items on the agenda of Green is Life 2023, such as workshops, trainings, debates, will also refer to the contemporary trends, which are the result of global changes and at the same time pose a challenge to the participants of the green industry. "On the occasion, we will emphasize the role of cooperation and dialogue between all participants of the ‘green’ projects. At the same time, we intend to increase the interest in greenery and activate in this aspect architects, urban planners, investors and developers, who should treat plants as essential elements of investments”, assures Filipczak.

"Important issues we are going to touch upon will include the reasonable combination of ‘concrete’ and greenery, the compromise between the two extremes, and the avoidance of exaggeration in the approach to ‘nature’. According to the nurserymen – professionals and practitioners who are very well familiar with plants and their assortment – nature and naturalness should remain in harmony with horticulture and cultivation, considering the realities of highly altered urban landscapes. The nurserymen admit that there are places where only flower meadows or roof gardens would work, but wherever possible, shrubs and trees should be planted, as nothing can replace their biomass and their invaluable influence on the environment and on our climate.

Other challenges – production and trade

On the first day of the Green is Life fair, there will be a Seminar KNOWLEDGE FOR TRADE AND GROWERS. Scheduled, among other topics, is a lecture about techniques and technologies that can help deal with labour shortages in nurseries. Hints for growers will also be given about expanding production with early spring perennials, which would allow economic use of space in unheated greenhouses, thereby generating additional revenue.

The greatest challenge in case of garden centres is to increase the number of loyal customers, who are most valuable from a commercial perspective. The seminar’s program will, therefore, include a presentation on the solutions that the point of sale should implement to meet the expectations of buyers and establish long-term relationships with them.

Plant exhibition – diverse and inspiring, with novelties

GREEN IS LIFE, however, is primarily the meeting of the entire industry in one place and the plant exhibition that also responds to changes as well as market, climatic and social challenges. This green show always stands out because of its wide range of products, their high quality and visual attractiveness. The diversified selection of trees, shrubs, perennials and climbers that exhibitors present at their stands is the hallmark of the Warsaw fair. Such variety, with interesting and inspiring tips, can be expected this time again. As well as novelties, which are of special interest to visitors and other members of the horticultural market. The Plant Novelties Competition, which has become an integral part of the Green is Life fair, will bring lots of excitement this year too, showcasing 25 new cultivars, submitted for evaluation by exhibitors. Which will win?

For more details, visit www.zielentozycie.pl