International Exhibition Garden in Galicia

Great excitement here in Allariz last Saturday night as the International Exhibition Garden had its grand opening for the 2012 season.  The village had been in a festive mood all day as the opening of the garden has come to be seen as the start of the Allariz main tourism season.

The theme for this year’s garden design competition is Water and as the gates opened for the first time at 11pm the fountains, lit by coloured lights, rose into the night sky to the sound of Beethoven’s fifth symphony.  It seemed as if the entire village had turned up to watch the dry – or should that be wet - run before it opened to the general public on the Sunday. As the music drowned out even the frogs in the ponds the balcony of the Portovello restaurant (which is part of the Leather museum next to the garden) filled with diners, glass of wine in hand, enjoying a perfect view. Families with kids, taking advantage of a great excuse to be out late, wandered down the paths between the gardens even though it was a little dark to see much detail; that can wait for the next visit. Now was a chance to enjoy the cool, fresh air and the lights and music.

Stretching along the bank of the river Arnoia the Exhibition Garden is host to 14 gardens competing for best design as voted for by the visitors. It is open Monday to Friday from 17.30 to 21.30 and on Saturday and Sunday 11.00-14.00 and 17.00 to 22.00 and will run until October.