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Purelife pays tribute to international judges, participants and visitors and looks ahead to a new era of sensational gardens
UAE, Dubai, 7th April 2014: As the Dubai International Garden Competition (DIGC) marks a successful debut and draws to a close on Sunday, 6 April 2014, the event has gained momentum with participating companies and international judges revealing fascinating insights into the increasingly sophisticated methods of gardening and landscaping designs. More than 2800 attendees have flocked to the event over the past four days, and the consensus among the visiting families is that the designs have lived up to the hype and indeed surpassed their expectations.
The internationally renowned judges Elisabetta Sari, Phil Evans, Jo Thompson, David Dodd, Kamelia bin Zaal and Muhammad Jayyoussi of Emaar Properties, were kept busy throughout the four days by the fierce level of competition, as each participant strived to raise the bar of quality. The judges carefully evaluated each entry according to the international criteria that included the Design, Construction, Planting, Scale and Sustainability of the entries.
The competition was organized and hosted by Purelife Events, Exhibitions & Conferences, and held under the patronage of Dubai Municipality; with Strategic Partnership from Dubai Calendar and Traders Hotel Dubai, which is also the Official Hotel Partner; support from the Venue Sponsorship partner Emaar Properties; Diamond Sponsorship from Nestlé; Gold Sponsorship from Cool-Group; and Platinum Sponsorship from the Desert Group, alongside sponsorship from JKD Hortitech and Al-Lokrit International.
The impressive quality of the entries led to some prolonged and intense debates among the judges, and awarded the participants as follows: Best in show went to Terraverde LLC, Best large garden went to Terraverde LLC, Best medium garden went to Orchid Garden Centre, Best small garden went to Al Meamar Landscapes, Judges's special commendation went to Al Meamar Landscapes, People's Choice went to Mirak Landscaping & Irrigation and finally, Best Show Garden Award went to Dubai Miracle Garden.
Encouraged by the beautiful weather, the public came in huge numbers to enjoy a magnificent family outing in a spectacular setting surrounded by natural beauty and serenity. Fun City - the largest entertainment center in the region - has served as the exclusive fun partner, hosting fun activities and games through all four days of the event, thereby enabling parents to roam the stalls with full peace of mind. The dazzling attractions have included the sensational Lokrit Garden Village, Grand Floral Arena Stall, Raffle Draws, the Education Zone & Talks, Furniture Display, Best of Show Award and a Food Court that recharged the visitors' energy levels throughout the event.
Nasser Khan, CEO of the organizers Purelife Events, Exhibitions & Conferences summed up the event by saying: “If the whole world is a garden, then Dubai is its fountain of ideas. Since our event was making its debut in the region, the past four days have been a fascinating learning curve. For example we have learned that when you combine family leisure with retail and entertainment attractions, the Dubai public will always support you. By successfully hosting international judges, participants and visitors, we have demonstrated that Dubai has become the global center of
attraction as we prepare for international events like the World Expo 2020. Special appreciation goes to our remarkable judges who came from halfway across the world to ensure that we maintain world-class standards. We are also grateful to our generous sponsors and loyal visitors, who all contributed to an impressive inaugural experience.”
Nadeem Abbas, Director of Purelife Events, Exhibitions & Conferences added: “Many families who were enjoying a meal at nearby restaurants or a shopping trip at the mall were attracted by the open-air gathering and greenery. We are delighted to have provided a relaxing alternative to the usual indoor activities in Dubai -- because if there's one thing the Dubai public wants, it's diversity.”
“Any event that expands Dubai's range of attractions will boost the city's tourism status,” commented a spokesperson for Dubai Calendar, the event's Strategic Sponsor. “Worldwide, we are known as a dynamic city of surprises, where there's always something new and exciting. The Dubai International Garden Competition will definitely strengthen that reputation, so we are honored to have contributed to the event's success.”
Meanwhile a representative of Traders Hotel Dubai, the event's Official Hotel Sponsor added: “The stunning setting at the foot of Burj Khalifa has definitely boosted the event's popularity as a magnet for visitors. We are thrilled to have supported a successful event that boosts Dubai's property sector in such a fresh and creative way.”
When asked about the most challenging aspect of reviewing the entries, Jo Thompson, one of the international judges revealed: “Just when we found an entry that seemed to stand head and shoulders above the rest, we would then come across another entry that was even more impressive and which became the new frontrunner. The lead changed hands several times, but in the end we are confident we made the right decision.”
Fellow judge Phil Evans agreed with Ms Thompson, explaining: “Creativity and beauty are very subjective concepts which depend on opinion, and so there was a wide range of views among the judges. But fortunately we had very clear guidelines and some of our decisions were based on technical aspects like sustainability and practicality. In other words the gardens should not just look spectacular; they must also work spectacularly well.”
“I am leaving this event as a much wiser and more experienced gardener than I was when I arrived in Dubai,” remarked judge Elisabetta Sari. “The contestants have thanked us for our feedback, but the truth is that we have also learned a lot from Dubai's incredibly ambitious companies, landscapers, architects, engineers and other professionals. I have no doubt that their standards will soon rise above their international counterparts -- if they haven't already.”
One of the participants, Mirak Irrigation & Landscaping commented: “Although Dubai's landscaping industry has been really thriving lately, one thing that was missing is an international platform where we can showcase our products to the rest of the world. We're proud to say that DIGC is the platform which bridges that gap.”
These comments were reiterated by another participant, Lokrit Garden Village who added: “Although this event is drawing to a close, for us it's an exciting new beginning because the contacts we made with potential partners and clients will bloom over the coming months.
One of the visitors who was enticed to spend a pleasant weekend at the event, Brian Kafwatabma said: “After everything I saw at the DIGC, I'll never look at my garden the same way again. It doesn't matter how big or small the garden is, there's always room for more creativity and more beauty.”
“I can't imagine a better way to spend quality time with my family than enjoying the beautiful outdoors in a garden,” said another visitor, Omar Al Zoubi. “These days technology has taken over and even when a family is in the same room, everyone is usually busy on their mobiles. That's why I'm really happy to see concepts like the DIGC, and I hope to see future editions of this event which will no doubt be even bigger and better.”
Companies like Danube Buildmart, AlBaddad, Fiore Rosso, Ibn Nafees, Alomi Real Wood Floors, Gulf Perlite LLC Manufactures & Supplies, Maze Rattan, Foliage, Logical Decking, Amber Garden Centre, and JKD HortiTech all showcased their best products. These ranged from innovative gardening equipment and accessories, garden art, colorful exotic plants and even smart gardening apps that can be accessed via mobile.
Purelife reiterated its appreciation to the participating companies who included: Mirak Irrigation & Landscaping, Toscana Landscaping & Pools, Jenny Flowers, Spring Rose Landscaping, Dubai Miracle Garden, TerraVerde Landscape Solution, Greenable Landscapes, Orchid Garden Centre, Akar Landscaping, Al-Memar Landscape, Heaven Art Landscape, Falcon Crest Landscape and Lokrit Garden Village.
Organizers also expressed their appreciation to the event's generous supporters who included: Dubai Municipality, Emaar, Dubai Calendar, Traders Hotel, Dubai, Fun City, Dubai Mall, Nestlé, Danube Buildmart, Al Baddad and Dubai Garden Center. Top media partners included Agriculture, Alsayegh Media, Landscape-Me Magazine, Home Owner Magazine, MK Magazine, Planteria EU, Gulf Agriculture and First Avenue.
Purelife Events, Exhibitions & Conferences the organizers of Dubai International Garden Competition thanks everyone who attended and made this one of the best and most exciting gardening events ever witnessed in the region.
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