Richmond City Hall’s Plaza will bloom with colour in June and early July with a unique celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation. Our Home and Native Bloom will feature more than 4,500 native flowering plants in an inspiring, pop-up floral design composed of plant species native to Richmond and British Columbia.

“This will be a spectacular celebration of Canada’s unique natural abundance,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “As the Child of the Fraser, our island community is renowned for its rich and fertile environment, so what better way to show what makes Richmond and Canada distinct.”

The floral design will depict a “Fluvial Fan” with floral “islands” that symbolically represent Richmond’s 17 islands and the landforms that have been shaped over time by the Fraser River. Circulating, moving slowly, standing or sitting, visitors will recreate the river’s flow. The design was commissioned from landscape architecture students at the University of British Columbia, including Nicole Alden, Patrick Beech, Genevieve Depelteau, John Musil and Allison Tweedie.

The large floral display will compliment a program of free lunch time musical performances, educational talks and family-oriented art activities from June 7 to July 6 at Richmond City Hall Plaza. For a full schedule of events visit www.richmondcanada.150.com.

At the end of the exhibition, the City will host a plant sale on Friday, July 7, 4:00-8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, July 8 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at Richmond City Hall.

Native plants on display will include Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Gaultheria shallon (Salal), Rosa nutkana (Nootka rose), Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift), Allium cernuum (Nodding onion), Iris setosa (Beachhead Iris), Lupinus polyphyllus (Bigleaf Lupine), Erigeron speciosus (Aspen fleabane), Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry), Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry), Rosa woodsii (Woods Rose), Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood), Polystichum munitum (Sword Fern), Dryopteris expansa (Spreading Wood Fern), and Dryopteris filixmas (Male Fern).

Our Home and Native Bloom is part of Richmond Canada 150, a year-long program of events and activities. For more information visit www.richmondcanada150.com.