From carnivorous plants to those that take their nourishment from the air, to discover the green to be grown in apartments and gardens to the Orticola exhibition-market in Milan.
Biodiversity can also start at home: we can in fact easily host a small part of the great biodiversity vegetable of our planet (there are 380,000 species known in the kingdom of plants, from algae to sequoie) On balconies and terracesin gardens and rooms. At least, those species that have been “domesticated” by man and transformed into different varieties to ornamental purposes, from roses to fatty plants to orchids.
“healthy” gardening. Among the appointments to buy or only know species and varieties also unusual of plants, there is the Orticola market exhibition, organized every year at the Indro Montanelli public gardens in Milan since 1996 (the proceeds have been intended for public green in the city).
This year the theme is “Bio, Bio, Bio: in the garden there is life!”, Which wants to reiterate the fact that Insects, birds, mushrooms and microbes are an integral part of a “healthy” gardening.
Nature gives a show. There are many exhibitors specialized in particular plants. Some, among many: the raziel company (Raziel.it) is for example specialized in bulbous and in particular in theAgapantoperennial herbaceous plant with showy cerulean blooms originally from southern Africa; Raziel won the 2025 Orticola Prize at the best botanical collection for its 24 species and varieties of lilies displayed at the stand.
Among the many orchids that can be admired among the stands, crazy plants specialize in Rustic Outdoor Orchidescoming from the temperate areas of the world, from Asia to North America, orchids who disappear in winter and rest and then shine.
Carnivore and fat. Then there are carnivorous plants, for example those of Diflora (Diflora.it): the Dionaea Muscipula which starts like a tagliola, the Sarracenia a funnel, the Drosera with adhesive traps, the Pinguicola from the rolling leaves … then there are the cactus and the other succulents, often original plants of hot and dry climates: has a particular Uhlig Kakteen collection, including various desert roses, Adenium OBESUMthe bush with a “fat” stem originally from the African Sahel.
From America the Tillandia: 600 species of evergreen plants that have no roots (in their lands they lean on various substrates, from other plants to the light threads) and absorb the nourishment from the humidity of the airthanks to structures called tricomes on the leaves; Orticola are exhibited by The Daughters of the Wind and Michieli Floricultura.
Flowers … out of passion. For those who love passiflore – the “Flowers of the Passion”, so called because the “crown” of the flower and other parts are associated with symbols of the martyrdom of Christ – the d’Aleo farm has almost 300 varieties between species and hybrids, some created by them.
Orto under a microscope. Then there are all the events organized in different places in Milan for the Fuoriorticola, until May 18th. There will be activities in several Milanese museums and institutions; For example, theBrera Botanical Garden of the University of Milan organizes meetings with experts for Saturday 10 May: at 11.30 the guided tour “botanical under a microscope: exploration of plant cells” and for 15:30 the guided tour of the discovery of Musels and ferns (Reservations required: Ortibotanici.unimi.it).
