Thousands of flowers bloom in the city colors red and white in the center of Alkmaar, winner of the Green Cities Europe Award 2022 for the most inspiring European city for greening the living environment. Employees of Stadswerk072 placed trays planted with strips of red and white garden cyclamen at the Grote Kerk and the monumental IJkgebouw, according to the Alkmaar city flag.
On Thursday, October 12, the Grote Kerk will host a national congress where city representatives and green specialists from all over the Netherlands will be informed and inspired about greening the urban environment. An important theme here is biodiversity. By placing nectar-rich autumn flowers, such as garden cyclamen, in the city, there is also enough food for bumblebees, bees, and other pollinators in the autumn months. Flowers also have a positive effect on residents and tourists. Flowers in the city center create a cozy atmosphere, which in turn benefits shopkeepers.
The autumn flowers have been offered by Dutch cyclamen growers. The Garden Cyclamen grows from a tuber and has heart-shaped green leaves with a beautiful patterned vein. Besides red and white, there are also pink and purple varieties. The so-called 'cold' cultivation is energy-efficient, and also the tuber already naturally has so many nutrients in it that little needs to be added by growers.