Abstract

The small village of Santa Elena is located high above Medellín in the mountains of Antioquia (over 2.400 m). It is home to a great variety of traditional flower farmers and the impressive Arví Nature Reserve with a size of 16.000 ha of forests and wetlands. The area represents an important watershed for the city and the locals consider it to be “the green lung of Medellín”. Colombia is famous for the exportation of flowers on a large scale, but those flowers grown in Santa Elena are not for exportation and have an important cultural role. The flower arrangements of the Flower Festival (“Feria de Flores”), called “Silletas” have an impressive history, and are today a cultural symbol of Medellín. The small-scale flower farms in Santa Elena are family-run for generations and nowadays dedicated to keep their unique tradition alive. The farm houses are embedded in the lush green highlands surrounded by beautiful gardens with plenty of colourful flowers and a great variety of vegetables and fruits.

You experience an exclusive visit to a traditional small-scale family-run flower farm and obtain deep insights on this unique tradition meeting a “Silletero” (local flower farmer) and his family on their farm. Get to know more about the culture of flower farming in Medellín and the historic dimension of the “Silleta” arrangements in a private setting and explore the beautiful garden learning more about plants and its origin and the cultural context. This activity directly benefits the community of flower farmers of Santa Elena.