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)