A huge “flying” greenhouse “landed” on the site of the Botanical Garden, overnight from Sunday to Monday, and for the first time in North America. Visitors will be able to contemplate the Aéroflorale II until the end of the month.
“This is an expedition that we wanted to bring to Montreal. It combines current subjects with great fantasy. We thought it was an opportunity to showcase another way of seeing nature, in an emotional and whimsical way,” explained Anne Charpentier, director of the Botanical Garden.
In this regard, she raises the comparison with the various troupes that come to Montreal during the summer season as part of the various festivals in order to entertain the public.
Four stories high, the “aircraft” is a huge metal structure, embellished with propellers and balloons similar to those of a hot air balloon. Many plants are also visible there.
Various machines from Aéroflorale II will be presented to the public, some allowing the crew to “talk” to plants, while others allow the electricity produced by vegetation to be “recovered”.
An opportunity, according to Ms. Charpentier, to discover the plant world with a touch of “humor and fantasy”.
“Throughout the days, there are all sorts of situations that will happen, because the “scientists” of Aéroflorale are experimenting with their machine. There will always be something different happening, with lots of surprises,” she explained.
In an interview with the author of these lines, the commander FD, responsible for the aircraft, remains in character until the end. According to him, the expedition would be in Quebec to collect plants for research purposes.
“The idea is to identify plants that can produce electrical energy. Tomorrow you will go to the supermarket on an electric bike, which you can plug into the tree. We are trying to develop this energy,” he explained in all seriousness.
The “L’Expédition Végétale” team will be in the metropolis until July 31. For the occasion, the Botanical Garden will extend its opening hours until 10 p.m. in the evening to allow as many people as possible to get there.
