Business & FInance Club - Riyadh : With construction growth in Saudi Arabia continuing unabated, particularly in relation to the ongoing creation of new infrastructure, demand for garden and landscaping products is expected to rise, said an expert.

“The Saudi construction industry is estimated to be worth around SR1.06 trillion ($283.8 billion) with large infrastructure and public utility projects in the pipeline,” said Ahmed Pauwels, chief executive officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt, a subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt, the leading German trade fairs company, and organiser of Garden+Landscaping Middle East.

“We estimate that the garden and landscaping needs within this figure to be about 10 per cent of the construction cost,” he added.

Garden+Landscaping Middle East, the region’s trade event for the garden, landscaping and outdoor living industries, will be held from October 31 to November 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Mehtap Kenar, senior show manager, Garden+Landscaping Middle East, said: “The exhibition will showcase some of the emerging trends in the region, including the increasing use of organic fertilisers and herbicides, methods to reduce water use and eco-friendly landscaping techniques.”

Emerging trends such as eco-friendly landscaping and organic alternatives to fertiliser and herbicide use will be showcased at the event.

The event will bring together under one roof, leading manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, garden and landscaping professionals, developers and end users.

It provides an opportunity to get a glimpse of the latest trends and developments in this sector the world over as well as specifically giving manufacturers and suppliers a unique insight into the particular needs and requirements of the Middle East region.

Among one of the common trends noticed in the region is the increased use of eco-friendly landscaping techniques, such as the use of shrubbery and local vegetation in place of non-indigenous plants which are resource-heavy and take up a lot of water. Native plants are far easier to cultivate and are environmentally friendly.

In addition to this, the use of recycled water is increasingly prevalent in the upkeep of lawns and gardens in water-scarce Middle East. This combined with the extensive use of mulching results in immense cost savings.

Visitors to Garden+Landscaping Middle East will also be able to learn more about the benefits of organic herbicides as a means to kill weeds without the use of harmful chemicals.

Soil solarisation, the use of landscaping fabrics and organic pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides are increasingly seen as the eco-friendly way to reduce the use of harmful chemicals and preserve an eco-friendly landscape.