(April 28, 2005) With a speech from Christian Ude, Munich's mayor, Germany's National Garden Festival was opened today in the city's eastern Messestadt Riem district. The largest of its kind in the world, the 130 hectare-large show is expected to attract more than 4 million visitors during its 165-day run. If the crowd of 30,000 thronging the event on its opening day is any indication, that forecast may be pessimistic.

In his opening remarks, Ude listed the pleasures offered by the show, whose opening capped 12 years of planning and planting. The mayor mentioned the lush arrays of nature and unusual perspectives offered by the show's exhibitions, the joy of swimming in the recently-completed lake (reachable by subway), the site's beer gardens and much more.