As a plant enthusiast, one of the most exciting experiences to look forward to post-pandemic would be to travel all over the world and see gorgeous gardens. Imagine all the beautifully kept plants and grasslands! To satiate the wanderlust, create a bucket list of exotic locations and the “world’s most” titles.
So if you wanted to see the Guinness World Record for the biggest flower structure in the world, where would you have to go to see it? How about if you wanted to see the tallest topiary supported sculpture in the world? And then where would you fly to see the world’s largest vertical garden?
You are going to save some air miles and cash because all the three Guinness World Record titles are in one garden! For this one, you need to hop on a plane fly to the middle east, to the United Arab Emirates, and see for yourself a life-sized Emirates Airbus A380!
We’re talking about The Dubai Miracle Garden. With over 50 million flowers and 250 million plants, this garden occupies over 72,000 square meters of desert space. It’s a sight to behold, and today, we are taking a virtual tour.
Development and Operations
The brainchild of property developers in Dubai, the project was headed by Jordanian businessman Abdel Naser Rahhal. The cost of the project was reported to be at an estimated $11 million US!
After two months and over 400 workers going round the clock, the project was unveiled, and Dubai Miracle Garden opened in February 2013. As soon as it opened on Valentine’s Day, it instantly grabbed the title of the biggest flower garden in the world.
To the amazement of everyone, the garden displayed more than 45 million flowers. In 2013, this was a feat unheard of! Today, with a display of 50 million flowers, no other garden in the world displays this much flowers in bloom at one time.
Besides bagging dozens of world records, Dubai Miracle Garden also has another claim to fame. On average, each square meter of their area displays 13 flowers. Any serious gardener knows this is the highest figure of any garden to display flowers per square.
The Miracle Garden opens from October to April every year. Although there are slight changes due to weather and temperature. Because the garden is in the desert, the months of May to September are not the days for flower viewing.
Maintenance
Supported by the local government, the garden is maintained through a special drip irrigation method. Waste water from the city is treated and reused to supply the needed 200,000 US gallons of water per day.
The process involves the retreating of the grey waters of the city. It is then sent directly to the garden. The garden transforms this treated water into a higher quality that can supply and nourish the flowers. For proper hydration, the garden is only watered after closing hours at night.
Is it really the Largest Flower Garden in the world?
That claim may raise a couple of eyebrows because another equally beautiful flower garden competes for the title. The Keukenhof garden or the Garden of Europe in the Netherlands is much bigger in size.
The Keukenhof, perhaps more well-known and more popular, is famous for growing fields of tulips. Even though it is bigger in land area, it only blooms 7 million flowers. An amazing number! But not a lot when compared to 50 million in Dubai.
They also differ in purpose, as Keukenhof grows to sell and export the tulips. Meanwhile, Dubai displays them as statues, sculptures, and pieces of art. Keukenhof is active for only 3 months in a year; on the other hand, the desert garden can stay open for 6 to 7 months.
Unique Installations Every Single Year
Project leader Abdel Rahhal believes that to consistently bring in the crowds each year, the garden must always come out with out-of-the-box installations. He shares with Khaleej Times:
“This (hot weather) is really a big challenge, but we always think something different, and, for us, this is not just a hobby. We carefully study the plants and create our own concept. We don’t leave anything to chance.
“With our unmatched legacy in the botanical landscape and creativity of the designers, we have reached a stage where people anticipate out-of-the-box installations every year. Our preparations are aligned with the expectations, and this season is no exception.”
In one instance, to find the right sunflower that can withstand the Dubai weather, his team had to experiment with 15 varieties of the plant!
The Heart Passage
One of the key attractions in the garden is a walking passage inside dozens of big hearts. Engraved all over the giant hearts are countless flowers arching over the visitors who walk under it. Visitors claim that the sweet-smelling aroma and a walk with a loved one make this the perfect stroll in paradise.
The Floral Clock
With mechanical parts specially imported from the US, this 15-meter clock is made out of real flowers and plants. The design changes according to season.
Lost Paradise
With an underground floral cascade of a depth of 20 feet, the Lost Paradise section of the Miracle Garden Dubai comprises of flower houses and bungalows.
Disney Avenue
The Walt Disney Company and Dubai Miracle Garden struck a licensing deal, creating Disney’s first character floral display in the Middle East. At 18 meters high, the Mickey Mouse floral structure has 100,000 plants and flowers. This humungous friend has a place in the Guinness World Record as the “World’s Largest Topiary Structure.”
Emirates A380
Extravagant feels inadequate to describe this fixture. So let’s talk facts: 500,000 flowers of seven different species make the structure. The Airbus A380 is the World’s largest passenger plane.
The Emirates A380 Flower Installation in the Miracle Garden Dubai is the largest in all the world!
This is the kind of beauty we will have to see for ourselves.