The Iris Festival 2012 will take place May 19, 2012, at the Croatian Iris Garden (Hrvatski vrt Perunika) in Donja Stubica – a fantastic display of colors and beauty, celebrating the national flower of the country, as well as local customs and traditions.
The Iris may be the national flower of France, but it is also the national flower of Croatia, and no other country celebrates and honors it the same. In the peaceful Donja Stubica, Marije Krušelj, with support from dr. Ljerke Regule Bevilacqua, has landscaped a garden dedicated exclusively to the fragile, beautiful and mystic Iris. The garden spreads over 3 000 square meters covering and enriching much of the land of the popular tourist attraction Termi Jezerčica.
Hrvatski vrt Perunika is divided in four sections, where visitors can admire indigenous irises of Croatia and wild irises, then iris rhizomes; international irises and finally swamp irises in the pond located in the forth section of the garden.
Every May, when the Iris blooming season begins, the garden opens its gates with a lesser-known Croatian festival, the Festival of the Iris, which is more than a gathering for flower enthusiasts. The festival features a rich and diverse programme of classical music concerts, folk dances, and traditional food. This year, the festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 19. If you happen to be in Croatia at the time, Donja Stubica is only 40 km northeast of Zagreb.