Regional Garden Show
A Regional Garden Show (German: Landesgartenschau; pronounced [ˌlandəsˈɡaʁtn̩ʃaʊ̯]) is an exhibition on horticulture that takes place  on a regular basis in several German and Austrian states. In Germany, a state horticultural show at the state level is the smaller counterpart to the Bundesgartenschau and the International Horticultural Show, in Austria there is no counterpart so far.
== Germany ==
=== History ===In the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria state garden shows have been held since 1980. In North Rhine-Westphalia there was already a first state garden show in 1970, other German states adopted the model later. In the Austrian federal states Upper Austria and Lower Austria, too, state garden shows have been taking place for several years in alternating two-year cycles.
In 1980, the first cross-border national horticultural show in Germany took place in Ulm/Neu-Ulm (Baden-Württemberg/Bavaria).
=== Objectives and financing ===
The garden shows are intended to improve the quality of life and the ecological climate in the cities. Often the garden shows also serve urban or regional political development objectives. For this reason, garden shows are usually not placed in particularly beautiful landscapes, but rather in areas which are particularly disadvantaged (e.g. due to mining damage), where the garden shows are aimed at supporting structure and help to promote urban planning. The investments which are made within the framework of the regional garden shows help the respective district to become more attractive and usually also to remain attractive. In addition national horticultural shows are today also measures of city marketing, since they can increase as a large meeting lasting half a year also the awareness level of a city.
The municipalities, which often realize a garden show with the help of state funds, take a calculated financial risk. While some state garden shows closed with a black 0 or even with slight profits, others exceeded their budget and had to be subsidised retrospectively. Particularly in municipalities with a strained budget situation, state garden shows are therefore sometimes controversial despite their long-term advantages, in some cases there have already been citizens' petitions or citizens' decisions.
=== Garden shows in the individual federal states ===
==== Baden-Württemberg ====From 1980 to 2000, the large horticultural shows were held annually in Baden-Württemberg. Since 2001, they have been held annually, alternating with the small state garden shows, the so-called green projects. For green projects, the state provides a subsidy of a maximum of two million euros for green projects and a maximum of five million euros for state horticultural shows, whereby the municipalities also have to make corresponding contributions of their own. By 2010, the state has granted almost 80 million euros in state subsidies. This has resulted in at least three times and in some cases even seven times the amount of investment on the part of the municipalities; they invested around 153 million euros: In the process, around 625 hectares of green spaces were created, redesigned and permanently secured. The State Horticultural Shows and green projects provide the impetus for comprehensive structural developments that create a spirit of optimism in the municipalities and strengthen their economic development. An expert commission will evaluate the applications and assess the submitted concepts on site. The Council of Ministers then awards the state garden shows and green projects in a cabinet meeting.
The last strongly visited State Garden Show in Baden-Württemberg before the introduction of the Green Projects in 2001 was the 1992 State Garden Show in the Gold City of Pforzheim with a peak number of visitors of 1.6 million. Thereafter, the number of visitors at state level also fell well below one million in each case. For this reason, the state government decided as early as 1996 to carry out the smaller green projects in Baden-Württemberg every two years from 2001 onwards. In 2014 Schwäbisch Gmünd set a new record with around 2 million visitors.1980: Ulm/Neu-Ulm
1981: Baden-Baden
1982: Schwäbisch Hall
1983: Lörrach – Landschaftspark Grütt
1984: Reutlingen
1985: Heilbronn
1986: Freiburg im Breisgau
1988: Ettlingen
1989: Bietigheim-Bissingen
1990: Sindelfingen
1991: Hockenheim
1992: Pforzheim
1993: IGA Stuttgart
1994: Bad Dürrheim
1996: Böblingen
1997: Mosbach
1998: Plochingen
1999: Weil am Rhein
2000: Singen (Hohentwiel)
2001: Green Project Pfullendorf
2002: Ostfildern
2003: Green Project Nordheim (Württemberg)
2003: Green Project Tuttlingen
2004: Kehl und Straßburg – Garten der zwei Ufer
2005: Green Project Ladenburg
2006: Heidenheim an der Brenz
2007: Green Project Rheinfelden (Baden)
2008: Bad Rappenau
2009: Green Project Rechberghausen
2010: Villingen-Schwenningen
2011: Green Project Horb am Neckar 
2012: Nagold: Grüne Urbanität
2013: Green Project Sigmaringen
2014: Schwäbisch Gmünd, Record number of visitors with approx. 2 million
2015: Green Project Mühlacker
2016: Öhringen
2017: Green Project Bad Herrenalb
2018: Lahr
2019: Green Project Remstal
2020: Überlingen
2021: Green Project Eppingen
2022: Neuenburg am Rhein
2023: Green Project Balingen
2024: Wangen im Allgäu
2025: Green Project Freudenstadt/Baiersbronn
2026: Ellwangen
2027: Green Project Bad Urach
2028: Rottweil
2029: Green Project Vaihingen/Enz
2030: Ulm
==== Bavaria ====
After North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, together with Baden-Württemberg, was the first federal state to hold state garden shows. The Free State initially started in an irregular rhythm with four State Horticultural Shows in Neu-Ulm, Augsburg, Dinkelsbühl and Straubing. Since 1990 the State Garden Shows have been held in Bavaria every two years, at even-numbered years, in addition to the Federal Garden Shows, which take place at odd-numbered years. In the uneven years in between there has been a small horticultural show in Bavaria since 1995 called Nature in the City, in which, similar to the State Horticultural Shows, but on a smaller scale, improvements in green and recreational structures form the framework for the horticultural show.
Up to and including 2015, the Free State and the EU have provided 83 million euros in funding for Bavarian garden shows, almost 23 million visitors have been recorded and around 460 hectares of public green spaces have been created over these years. Cities and municipalities can apply to the Society for the Promotion of the Bavarian State Horticultural Shows (FÖG) to organise a garden show. The awarding procedure and also the type and implementation of the state funding has been criticised on numerous occasions. Unter anderem hielt der Bayerische Oberste Rechnungshof die Vergabe der Gartenschauen in Bayern für intransparent und empfahl, sie auf eine neue Grundlage zu stellen, was auch geschah.1980: Regional Garden Show Neu-Ulm/Ulm
1985: Regional Garden Show Augsburg
1988: Regional Garden Show Dinkelsbühl
1989: Regional Garden Show Straubing
1990: Regional Garden Show Würzburg with 2.5 million visitors is considered the most visited Bavarian State Garden Show
1992: Regional Garden Show Ingolstadt
1994: Regional Garden Show Hof (Saale)
1995: Small Regional Garden Show Waldkraiburg
1996: Regional Garden Show Amberg
1997: Small Regional Garden Show Arnstein
1998: Regional Garden Show Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
1999: Small Regional Garden Show Neustadt bei Coburg
2000: Regional Garden Show Memmingen, (1.3 million visitors)
2001: Small Regional Garden Show Cham (Oberpfalz)
2002: Regional Garden Show Kronach
2003: Small Regional Garden Show Roth
2004: Burghausen
2006: Regional Garden Show Marktredwitz and Cheb
2007: Small Regional Garden Show Waldkirchen
2008: Regional Garden Show Neu-Ulm (mit großen städtebaulichen Investitionen im Rahmen des Projekts Neu-Ulm 21)
2009: Small Regional Garden Show Rain
2010: Regional Garden Show Rosenheim, „Innspiration
2011: Small Regional Garden Show Kitzingen
2012: Regional Garden Sho Bamberg
2013: Small Regional Garden Show Tirschenreuth
2014: Regional Garden Show Deggendorf
2015: Small Regional Garden Show Alzenau
2016: Regional Garden Show Bayreuth
2017: Small Regional Garden Show Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
2018: Regional Garden Show Würzburg
2019: Small Regional Garden Show Wassertrüdingen
2020: Regional Garden Show Ingolstadt
2021: Small Regional Garden Show Lindau (Bodensee), „Ring aus Inselgärten – Natur in der Stadt 2021
2022: Regional Garden Show Freyung
2024: Regional Garden Show Kirchheim
2025: Regional Garden Show Furth im Wald
==== Brandenburg ====
2000 Luckau
2002 Eberswalde
2006 Rathenow, „Den Farben auf der Spur (On the trail of colours)
2009 Oranienburg, „Traumlandschaften einer Kurfürstin (Dreamscapes of an Electress)
2013 Prenzlau, „Die grüne Wonne (The green delight)
2019 Wittstock/Dosse „Grüne Bürgerstadt (Green civil town)
2022 Beelitz „Gartenfest für alle Sinne (Garden party for all senses)
==== Hesse ====
1994: Fulda „Der Garten Hessens (The Garden of Hesse)
2002: Hanau „Mit allen Sinnen erleben! (Experience with all senses!)
2006: Bad Wildungen
2010: Bad Nauheim „Traumhafte Gärten im Herzen der Stadt (Fantastic gardens in the heart of the city)
2014: Gießen „Auf zu neuen Ufern (Off to new shores)
2018: Bad Schwalbach „Natur erleben. Natürlich Leben (Experience nature. Live naturally.)
2023: Fulda
==== Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ====2002: Wismar
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the only federal state that has so far hosted only one state garden show. A show was to take place in the landscape park Brodaer Höhe of Neubrandenburg, but it did not go beyond the design phase. Originally, a further State Garden Show was scheduled for 2014/2015. This was initially suspended because the applicants Güstrow and Putbus were unable to present a financially sustainable concept.
In the year 2003 an International Horticultural Exhibition was held in Rostock. In Schwerin a successful National Garden Show followed in 2009. For 2025 Schwerin was awarded the contract by the BUGA Society for a further Federal Horticultural Show, which is to further develop the 2009 concept and make the southern shore of Lake Schwerin more accessible to residents and visitors. A referendum was to decide on the organisation of the show on the election date of the Bundestag elections 2017 in September. After the state government failed to provide the financial means, the BUGA 2025 was returned to the German National Garden Show Society mbH (DBG) 2017. On July 26, 2018, Rostock launched a BUGA application and was officially awarded the contract to host the National Garden Show 2025 on September 10, 2018.
==== Lower Saxony ====
2002: Bad Zwischenahn, „Park of gardens
2004: Wolfsburg
2006: Winsen (Luhe)
2010: Bad Essen
2014: Papenburg
2018: Bad Iburg
2022: Bad Gandersheim		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
==== North Rhine-Westphalia ====
1970: Grefrath
1972: Mechernich-Kommern, Mühlenpark
1974: Nümbrecht
1980: Xanten, LVR Archaeological Park Xanten
1984: Hamm, Maximilianpark
1988: Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Flora Westfalica
1992: Mülheim an der Ruhr, MüGa-Park
1994: Paderborn, Schloss- und Auenpark
1995: Grevenbroich, Stadtpark
1996: Lünen, „LaGaLü
1998: Jülich, Brückenkopfpark
1999: Oberhausen, „Olga
2000: Bad Oeynhausen/Löhne, Aqua Magica
2001: Oelde, „Blütenzauber & Kinderträume, Vier-Jahreszeiten-Park
2002: Düsseldorf, Jüchen, Monheim, Mönchengladbach, Willich, Krefeld
2003: Gronau, Isle park / Losser (NL) – joint garden show with the neighbouring Dutch town
2005: Leverkusen, „Discover new territory, Neuland-Park
2008: Rietberg, „dream things up
2010: Hemer, „Spell of transformation
2014: Zülpich, „Zülpich Millennium Gardens - From Roman times to the 21st century
2017: Bad Lippspringe, „Splendor of flowers & forest idyll
2020: Kamp-Lintfort
2023: Höxter		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
==== Rheinland-Pfalz ====
2000: Regional Garden Show Kaiserslautern
2004: Regional Garden Show Trier
2008: Regional Garden Show Bingen am Rhein
2011: State Garden Show Koblenz
2015: Regional Garden Show Landau in der Pfalz (originally planned for 2014, postponed by one year on 30 July 2013 due to numerous dud bombs found during the Second World War)	Regional Garden Shows in Rheinland-Pfalz
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
==== Sachsen ====
1996: Lichtenstein
1999: Zittau and Olbersdorf
2002: Großenhain
2006: Oschatz
2009: Reichenbach im Vogtland
2012: Löbau
2015: Oelsnitz, Erzgebirge, „Blütenträume – Lebensräume
2019: Frankenberg, „Natürlich mittendrin
2022: Torgau
==== Sachsen-Anhalt ====2004: Zeitz
2006: Wernigerode
2010: Aschersleben, „Nature finds town
2018: Burg
==== Schleswig-Holstein ====
2008: Schleswig-Königswiesen
2011: Norderstedt, „dreifach einmalig
2016: Eutin, „Eins werden mit der Natur
2020: a cross-border garden show is planned in Flensburg and Sonderburg on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the referendum in Schleswig	Landesgartenschau 2008 in Schleswig
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
==== Thüringen ====2000: Pößneck
2004: Nordhausen, „The new middle
2015: Schmalkalden, „Gardentimetravel
2017: Apolda, „Flowering time Apolda
2024: Leinefelde-Worbis, „Reconciliation between town and countryside
== Austria ==
=== Upper Austria ===1997: Krenglbach
1999: Gmunden
2005: Bad Hall
2007: Vöcklabruck
2009: Bad Schallerbach
2011: Ansfelden
2015: Bad Ischl
2017: Kremsmünster
2019: Schlägl
2021: Wilhering
2023: Wolfsegg am Hausruck
2025: Schärding
=== Lower Austria ===
2006: Kamptal
2008: Garten Tulln and Castle Park Grafenegg
2012: Wachau
Bundesgartenschau

== External links ==