Florana
Florana was thought to be one of the most beautiful planets in the galaxy, as well as one of the most peaceful. The Third Doctor once told Sarah Jane that he always came back from Florana feeling "a hundred years younger." (TV: Death to the Daleks) It was a beach planet that became very busy during beach season. (COMIC: Summer Wholiday)
Astronomical data
Florana was always carpeted with perfumed flowers, with seas like "warm milk", sands "soft as swan's down" and streams with "water as clear as crystal". (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs) Its seas were effervescent. (TV: Death to the Daleks) It was also described as having "floating seas", "beaches of weaved gold" (PROSE: Legacy) and "carpets of sweet perfumed flowers". (COMIC: Time Fraud) Black roses grew on the planet.
Florana was protected by the Galactic Heritage. (AUDIO: The Elite)
History
The Fifth Doctor took Tegan and Nyssa to Florana early in its history, when it was a barren planet. He found that a Dalek known as the High Priest had crashed and taken control of the planet, pretending to be an emissary of its god. It was killed by Thane, the head of the Church, who attempted to take over himself. This resulted in the killing of many of the inhabitants, and the flowers Florana was named after grew from their ashes. (AUDIO: The Elite)
By the 30th century, Florana was discovered by the Earth Empire and used as a dumping ground for toxic waste by 36 species. (PROSE: Original Sin)
On 5 June 5968, there was a peace conference on Florana between humanity and the Chelonian Empire. The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith arrived at the same time. The Doctor was mistaken as one of the delegates, and Sarah went to go sunbathing. There, she overheard two Chelonians discussing how one had poisoned the emperor's drink. Sarah went to warn the delegates, but the guards would not let her pass. The Doctor noticed the emperor's strange actions and poured a bucket of water down the emperor's throat, thus removing the poison. Changing out of his now-ruined shirt, the Doctor and Sarah left Florana again to return to Earth. (PROSE: The Hungry Bomb)
Undated events
The Eleventh Doctor had brunch on Florana with some friends, before saving a nearby star from going supernova. The people of the planet later held a parade in his honour. (COMIC: Sonic Sleuth)
The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams visited Florana on a bank holiday. It was overly crowded with a multitude of alien creatures including an Ood, Silurian, and a fish person. Rory scolded the Doctor for bringing them to a beach planet during beach season. When Amy mentioned that they at least had sunshine, it began raining. (COMIC: Summer Wholiday)
The Eleventh Doctor took Clara Oswald bathing in the bubbly waters on Florana at a time when the beaches had begun to attract a large number of tourists that were causing disturbance to the Teuthida that lived in the lower levels of the sea. (COMIC: Creatures from the Deep)
River Song went to Florana with the Doctor for the golden sunset and they encountered a rude tour guide. (AUDIO: Signs)
References
On several occasions the Doctor attempted to take his companions to Florana, but was unsuccessful.
- The Third Doctor tried to take Sarah Jane Smith to Florana, (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs) but was unsuccessful on his first two attempts. (TV: Death to the Daleks, PROSE: Neptune)
- He also intended to take Liz Shaw to Florana if he ever got the chance, along with Metebelis III. (AUDIO: The Blame Game).
- The Seventh Doctor offered to take Bernice Summerfield to Florana, but she declined. (PROSE: Legacy)
- The Seventh Doctor planned to take Elizabeth Klein to Florana for her second trip in the TARDIS. (AUDIO: Klein's Story)
- The Seventh Doctor thought about retiring to Florana. (PROSE: The Dimension Riders)
- The Eleventh Doctor was about to take Amy Pond and Rory Williams to Florana, but they became trapped in a time corridor. (COMIC: Time Fraud)
Behind the scenes
In the comedic mini-episode The Robot Reveal, according to Hacker the Dog, the Twelfth Doctor is apparently taking a break on Florana.
