Hall 5 at IPM ESSEN 2026 will transform into a vibrant hub for floristry, design and forward-looking ideas for the green market. Alongside the IPM Flower Stage, which will feature international floral designers with impressive live shows and hands-on inspiration on all four days of the fair, two further highlights will enrich the programme: the BLOOM’s Trend Show and the IPM Discovery Center. In addition, visitors will find exhibitors offering floristry supplies as well as the IPM Concept Store with complementary product ranges in the Creative Hall. In this way, the world’s leading horticultural trade fair creates a space where creativity, market impulses and sustainable concept solutions come together to form a diverse overall experience.
Valuable guidance for retail and design is provided by the BLOOM’s Trend Show 2026. It vividly demonstrates which style influences from fashion and interior design will shape floristry in the year ahead. “Gentle & Mindful” combines a soft, purist aesthetic with a detox-inspired mindset, featuring a restrained colour palette highlighted by accents of lime, coral and peach. “Terra & Comfort” reflects a sense of grounding through warm, timeless classics, refreshed with touches of papaya, orchid pink and pistachio. With “Greenish & Divers”, an urban green mix takes centre stage, balancing 1970s influences with a sustainable, nature-inspired look. “Pure & Elemental” delivers a strong design statement through archaic forms, raw materials and shades of grey and blue. Optimistic lightness returns with “Refreshed & Positive”, where playful elements and summery tones create a cheerful outlook for the coming season.
Knowledge and hands-on expertise on the IPM Flower Stage
A multifaceted programme full of creativity, practical tips and floral highlights awaits visitors on the IPM Flower Stage. Ekaflor alone will present four sessions on the popular revolving stage:
· Daniela Kirmse opens the first day of the fair with her talk “90,000 followers – curse or blessing?” (10 a.m. – 10.45 a.m.), examining the role of social media within the industry.
· One day later, Stephanie and Max Zebovec provide retail insights in “Selling 24/7 – from idea to execution” (11 a.m. – 11.45 a.m.).
· Lorena Menk will focus on profitable floristry workshops for customers (Thursday, 29 January, 12.45 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.).
· How greater revenue can be achieved through the right design of existing retail space is highlighted by Christof Rumbaum and Sven Knutzen on Friday, 30 January, from 11 a.m. to 11.45 a.m.
International stars of the floristry scene
The German Florists’ Association (FDF – Bundesverband) brings concentrated international expertise and craftsmanship to the Creative Hall:
· Brenna Quan and Sue Tabbay-Yamaguchi from Hawaii create an exotic floral experience with “The Spirit of Aloha”, hosted by TV florist Björn Kroner (Tuesday, 27 January, 2 p.m. – 2.45 p.m and Wednesday, 28 January, 2.15 p.m. – 3 p.m.).
· In the show “Floristry International – Pure Perfection Passion” (Tuesday, 27 January, 11 a.m. – 11.45 a.m. and Wednesday, 28 January, 1 p.m. – 1.45 p.m.), Yulia Medvedeva (Estonia), Stefan Van Berlo (Belgium) and Joseph Massie (UK) present event floristry at the highest level of craftsmanship.
· With their “Flower Riot” show, Hanneke Frankema (Netherlands), Sara-Lisa Ludvigsson (Sweden) and Elisabeth Schoenemann (Germany) launch She blooms – a new initiative intended to create space for female role models (Tuesday, 27 January, 3.15 p.m. – 4 p.m. and Wednesday, 28 January, 11.45 a.m. – 12.15 p.m.).
· Cross-border cooperation is also represented by Carles J. Fontanillas (Spain) and Johann Obendrauf (Austria). In the show “FLOOS – the crafter’s secret”, they appear together on stage on Wednesday from 3.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. and on Thursday from 11.30 a.m. – 12.15 p.m..
Further design ideas for florists are provided by the show “Flower up your ideas – Designs, Styles and Trends 2026” (Tuesday, 27 January, 12.15 p.m. – 1 p.m. and Thursday, 29 January, 2.30 p.m. – 3.15 p.m.) as well as the spontaneous performance “Spontaneous. Creative. Vibrant.” on the final day of the fair from 10.30 a.m. – 11 a.m. The IPM Flower Stage programme concludes with the award ceremony of the IPM Messe-Cup 2026 on Friday, 30 January, from 12.30 p.m.
New to the stage programme is the “Flower Talk by g&v” on Tuesday, 27 January (4 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.) and Wednesday, 28 January (12.15 p.m. –12.45 p.m.), both under the guiding theme “Floristry. Female. Forward.”.
In addition, two FDF Talks are scheduled for Thursday, 29 January: “Brick-and-mortar Versus Digital” (10 a.m. – 10.45 a.m.) focuses on new business models in the industry, followed by “Industry. Initiative. Vision.” (3.30 p.m. – 4.15 p.m.), introducing further impulses including the new 2026 campaign “Giving flowers, donating hope”.
Guided tours through the IPM Discovery Center
The IPM Discovery Center powered by Kahler brings POS concepts for garden centres, specialist green retailers and food retailers to life. Curator Romeo Sommers transforms selected products from exhibitors into appealing shop environments, with sustainable materials, social megatrends and realistic living spaces playing a central role. Several times a day, Sommers guides visitors through various themed worlds: ‘Feminine Marketing’ shows how traditionally male-dominated product ranges can be presented in a way that appeals to women. ‘Nostalgic Marketing’ combines modern interior design ideas with nostalgic atmospheres. The ‘Climate Park’ demonstrates the power of plants for the climate and the environment. ‘Health & Wellbeing’ is dedicated to health-promoting plants and their placement at the POS. ‘Community Learning’ shows the garden centre as a place to meet, with workshops and areas to try things out.
The Discovery Center is supported by the exhibitors A/S Queen Knud Jepsen, Addenda, Magical Hydrangea and Amigra, Air So Pure, arie Bouman Green outdoor, Bökenkröger Gartentechnik, Brome, Dr. Rech's Vitanal GmbH, Eco Rite Ltd., E-Nema, Flores in Terra B.V., Gardify Solutions GmbH, Griebling Keramik GmbH & Co KG, Haymarket Media GmbH, Lekkerkerk Green Business BV, Mediflora, The Pots Company and Velda.
Cooperation with the European Floral and Lifestyle Suppliers Association (EFSA) will be continued. Head sponsor of the IPM Discovery Center 2026 is Kahler GmbH, which offers intelligent and modern retail construction solutions.
The programme is continuously updated on the IPM ESSEN website at: https://www.ipm-essen.de/world-trade-fair/programme/
IPM ESSEN takes place from 27 to 30 January 2026 at Messe Essen and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Friday, the fair closes at 4 p.m.
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