In the morning I began the count with a team of engineers from Akar, and due to the good organisation of the garden and the Akar team, we had finished counting the large number of hanging baskets in only half an hour. As this was a new category, Guinness World Records had set a minimum of 150 baskets to open the category.
In the evening when the day had cooled down we prepared for the official opening, which the Sheikh was expected to attend. A carpet was laid out leading the way into the event area, and we waited for the Sheikh to arrive. I watched as a group including the Sheikh walked around the garden, and the ribbon was cut to officially mark the opening.
There then followed a few speeches by officials from Akar and Al Ain municipality and lastly I was called to the stage. After expressing my admiration of the work that must have gone into creating such a beautiful display in such a hot climate, I announced the result of our morning count. I had counted 2,426 hanging baskets, making Al Ain Paradise officially the largest display of hanging baskets in the world, a new Guinness World Records achievement.
