Trade exhibition to highlight landscaping trends

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Key trends relating to the landscaping industry will be highlighted at Garden+Landscaping Middle East 2010, the international trade exhibition for the gardening, landscaping and outdoor living industries, which will take place in Dubai from October 31 to November 2.

For example, as awareness of the harmful effects of certain non-native species of vegetation on the local environment has increased, demand for less harmful plant species has grown across the region.

Plants such as the quick-growing Eucalyptus tend to be extremely draining on water resources and need relatively high amounts of fertilizer in order to thrive. As a result, native vegetation that has evolved over time to suit local conditions is growing in popularity.

“Awareness is increasing about the harmful effects that some introduced species of vegetation can have on the Middle East’s extremely sensitive environment,” said Wilbert Heijmans, group exhibitions director at Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Garden+Landscaping Middle East.

“While many non-native species may look good and take root extremely quickly, they are often resource heavy. Increased use of local or regional, drought-resistant plants is now becoming more and more common here,” he added.

The exhibition will showcase products ranging from garden machinery, tools, furniture, water features, pond accessories and fertilisers, right through to swimming pools, landscaping tools, architectural landscaping and irrigation systems.