Decorative plants big hit at expo

Decorative plants big hit at expo

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A middle-aged couple made their way through traffic to Lapangan
Banteng, Central Jakarta.

"It's rare to find so many plants in one place," said Ong
Harjono, who grows decorative plants in the backyard of his home
in Cibubur, East Jakarta.

Ong and his wife spent more than one hour traveling to the
venue to look for a rare Matoa tree in the Flora Fauna Expo 2005.

"We ended up buying these small palm trees," he said, pointing
to several pots in a cart that a boy pushed behind him.

The annual Flora Fauna Expo may be a haven for those who enjoy
gardening, or simply a one-stop shopping place for those wanting
to fill their gardens with greenery.

Visitors can opt for a range of plants, such as popular
mosquito repellent lavender plants to expensive bonsai, at the
more than 100 booths at the expo.

"Lovers of these kinds of plants don't mind spending a lot,"
said Indra, a bonsai cultivator, who was selling his plants for
Rp 100,000 to Rp 15 million. His revenue of Rp 13.5 million in
only two days served as proof to his claim.

Due to the difficult cultivation process, only three of some
100 booths sell bonsai. The rest sell common decorative plants or
fruit trees. However, they seem to have more customers.

Visitors looking into some serious landscaping can avail of a
free design consultation at one of the booths at the center of
the exhibition, which opens from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Aug. 29.
(003)