OASIS OF LIFE –
UNCOVERING THE POWER OF PLANTS

Taking a walk through AIPH garden at Expo Doha 2023: let yourself be surprised in a playful labyrinth structure inspired by local fishermen’s nets in Qatar.

AIPH gallery is a geometric, asymmetrical structure combining the game of shade and light, ready to unfold the discovery of Horticulture for Everyone.

Made of wooden slats reaching up to 12.9 metres, the gallery has an unusual shape combining slope and curve, vertical and horizontal lines – in a natural setting of wood and green plants, contrasted by black marble and white stones. The pavilion structure was designed to create microclimates and plants were selected to respond to these. Different plants thrive in different conditions! Creation of micro-climates helps diversify and maintain gardens sustainably even in extreme climates.

Islands of various plant groups create small oasis for relaxation, observation and learning. AIPH structure creates an impression of a half-indoor and half-outdoor environment, where visitors can choose and imagine how their own gardens may look like. An outdoor garden with night flowering plants completes the space.

ENTER AIPH GARDEN

AIPH AND ORNAMENTAL PLANTS:
BEYOND BEAUTIFUL 

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is a global organisation uniting thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants since 1948.

At one table together, our members have the plant wisdom from around the world: how to take care of plants, make them grow, make them bloom! We are willing to share this knowledge of how ornamental plants are So Much More than just Beautiful.

And there is one more thing that we still need to figure out: we must find a way to integrate Living Green in buildings and cities of tomorrow – and that is our common challenge.

AIPH Gallery features in different areas:

Vitex agnus-castus	Bougainvillea glabra
Tradescantia pallida	Gazania rigens

Vitex agnus-castus is a soft, transparent shrub. It creates a shade play during both day and nighttime and draws attention to the central area. Seasonal flowers attract pollinators and birds.

As well as in pots on the “Checkers Wall”:

Portulacaria afra	Alternanthera
Portulaca grandiflora

The plants on the “Checkers Wall” are grown locally and adapt well to direct sunshine while retaining their lush green appearance. Portulaca grandiflora has a soft waterfall texture and small pink flowers visible during the daytime.

DESERT PLANT COLLECTION

The Arabian desert covers over 900,000 square miles, with extremely high temperatures.

Yet horticulture offers solutions. Greenhouses, hydroponics and smart irrigation systems allow year-round crop growth using significantly less water.

Visitors can discover hydroponics installations at the AIPH gallery, as well as a selection of native plants that survive hot and arid climates while combating soil erosion:

Jatropha integerrima	Euphorbia	Bougainvillea glabra
Sansevieria trifasciata – Snake Plant	Aloe barbadensis	Zamia furfuracea
Iresine herbstii	Agave americana	Tradescantia pallida

Visitors can observe plant protection mechanisms up close. Plants with fleshy leaves, thick waxy leaf surfaces, hairy leaves, and silvery leaves are better equipped to tolerate heat and drought.

OASIS TO NURTURE YOUR BODY

The AIPH gallery features an edible gardening display right next to the bar area.

Growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs at home, you can enjoy many benefits, such as better taste, improved nutrition, and lower costs. And guess what? Some plants can be ornamental and edible!

AIPH presents a selection of plants you can use for cooking, salads, and hot and cold infusions.

Citrus aurantiifolia – Lime	Rosmarinus officinalis – Rosemary
Ocimum basilicum – Basil	Mentha spicata – Mint

AIPH HORTICULTURAL EXPOS FOR THE WORLD

Did you know that Expo 2023 Doha Qatar is part of a bigger Expo Movement that has been around for more than 60 years? International Horticultural Expos unite people.

The shading in this area was created and installed by Kiyohito Tamotsu, an AIPH friend from Japan, LOSFEE Architecture & Landscape Design.

And our next International Horticultural Expo will take place in Yokohama, Japan, in 2027!

Yokohama City in bloom

OASIS FOR LEARNING – DISCOVER THE PLANT JOURNEY

Do you know how new plants are created? What about new plant varieties? And where do flowers in your bouquet come from?

Discover the amazing plant journeys. This track is available in adults and kids formats.

OASIS FOR REST – LUSH TROPICAL PLANTS COLLECTION

Studies have shown that spending just 20 minutes gardening or walking in a nature area can lower stress levels and blood pressure by up to 30%. The practice of horticultural therapy also speeds healing time in hospitals by 8.5%.

Time to take a rest and relax! Visitors can enjoy the seating area in the AIPH pavilion while being surrounded by plants. This zone features plants with eye-catching variegation and vivid leaf colours. The Lush Tropical Plants Collection in this cooler shaded section creates a sense of peace and calm, as well as reduces the local temperature through shade and transpiration.

Associated signage illustrates the different benefits plants bring to human health and the environment. This track is available in adults and kids formats.

Rhipsalis pilocarpa	Rhipsalis heteroclada	Anthurium pink
Calathea zebrina	Calathea Wavestar	Dracaena White Stripe
Strelitzia nicolai	Monstera deliciosa	Hoya bella
Howea forsteriana	Livistona chinensis

OASIS FOR PLAY

Did you know that having plants in offices and classrooms can improve your concentration levels? A classroom and an office of the future are multisensory, and plants provide a variety of sensory stimulations that positively affect cognitive abilities.

Would you like to witness the power of plants for yourself? We invite you to visit our garden after taking a stroll through the AIPH Gallery.

The garden offers a Playful Super Tree with quiz questions about the countries represented in AIPH and their symbolic plants and flowers. This fun activity can be played alone or with a group, both kids and adults.

FIND A SECRET GARDEN

Many white flowers release their fragrance in the evening. Both these characteristics make white-flowered plants highly suitable for outdoor areas where people might gather in the cooler evenings. If you’re looking for lovely scented and night-blooming plants, you should check out what the AIPH Garden offers!

Murraya paniculata	Jasminum sambac
Catharanthus roseus	Rosmarinus officinalis

HOW TO REACH THE AIPH PAVILION AND GARDEN

We are situated at the beginning of Gardens Avenue, which is one of the two primary streets of the International Zone.

You’ll find us right next to the Qatar Pavilion, and it’s easy to get to other parts of the Expo site from here.

Inside the gallery, we can comfortably accommodate up to 60 visitors at once; with the garden, that number goes up to 75. We recommend spending between 15 to 20 minutes here.

We follow the opening hours of the International Zone of Expo Doha Qatar 2023, so feel free to drop by during those times.

“While you are sleeping, they are awake, often at 4 am. They call a place where plants grow a “nursery”, maybe because their plants are like their children. They constantly rethink logistics to always deliver fresher, smarter and more gorgeous.

They are breeders, growers, traders. They are ornamental horticulture industry.
We curated This Oasis of Life with admiration for the industry, those who make it, and their raison d’être – ornamental plants, that are so much more than just Beautiful.

We hope you enjoy the power of plants at AIPH Oasis of Life, Expo Doha Qatar 2023!”

Elena Terekhova, AIPH Pavilion and Garden Director