Goin' to the Garden Show....

Woohoo! The Nashville Lawn & Garden exhibition begins Thursday (it's 4 days long.) DD is excited about the kids' workshop (building a bluebird house) on Friday afternoon so I guess I'll take her to that. Then Saturday morning there's a "gardening on the 'net" seminar, followed by a local author talking about native flowers. Guess I'll take some DG literature for the 'net seminar, just in case the speaker isn't aware of this home-away-from-home.

Anybody else's garden show just around the corner?

Oh Terry, I envy you so much... There is a large show up in San Francisco this spring, but that is way to far for me to attend it. I have heard alot about it through other garden sites and hear that it is wonderful. I wonder if some of our DG members that live up there will be attending it.

Donna

ps, you would think that with Calif. having such good gardening weather, that they would have one down here in So. Calif.

Terry, yes, the Columbus Home & Garden show is going on now, started last Saturday and continues until this Sunday. With all the bad weather, I just can't bring myself to go and get all hyped up for gardening. It will be at least a few more weeks before the snow melts enough for me to get out to see what is coming up!

My volunteer organization is having our spring Herb Symposium, though; it is March 22, and is a day-long event. Here is a scanned article about it. (BTW, neither of the photos are of me) This article appeared in the Southwest Messenger, Vol 21 No. 23.

Here's the rest of the article.

Yes, I am one of the '53 active volunteers' mentioned. Of course, some of us are more active than others ;D And the symposium is full; we have started a waiting list, we have 10 on it so far...

Ours was a couple of weekends ago...I went and was dissapointed.It seemed that everyone anticipated bad weather and lots of exhibitors didn't show. The weather was bad...but what else could you do on a misrable weekend but go and dream of spring.

Well, the Seattle Northwest Flower and garden show was really worth attending a couple weeks back..The theme was Festiva Botanica......most of the show gardens depicted tropical themes. So we had an idea of what is out there! And then, we volunteered at the B.C. Home and garden show, held last weekend...saw the Designer Guys, and Sarah Richardson from HGTV's Room Service. The whole horticultural world is busy amending different soil mediums..and evrything is headed towards ORGANIC gardening!

we are having a gardenexpo in birch run this weekend-i hope i can get there tomorrow-sis sprung a surprize visit on me today!
I luv to see her but was going to go to expo!

Wow, I cannot believe that in the huge area of Southern CA there isn't a yearly garden show. That's incredible, with the millions of year-round gardeners there.

The San Francisco Flower & Garden Show (www.gardenshow.com) is on March 19-23 at the SF Cow Palace (yes, where they hold rodeo shows, and also monster truck shows and such -- just a big empty building a little south of the city, near the SFO airport). Hours are 9-8 Wed-Sat and 9-6:30p Sun.

The theme is "Florapolitan", I guess referring to the fact that most of us don't have a whole lot of garden space to work with, in the city proper. There are 43 designer gardens and other displays, including an Orchid Pavilion, as well as several marketplace halls for the vendors and exhibitors.

You can buy bulbs and plants, tools, soil & rocks, knick-knacks, garden furniture and such. There are booths for ikebana and bonsai exhibits, local garden clubs, etc., including a firm that always brings hundreds of koi for sale.

There are educational exhibits and classes all five days, including 'Hot Plant Picks', picking mushrooms safely, making compost tea and keeping bees. You can sign up for a free 20-min session to have a garden designed for you. There are classes every day, from roses to rock gardens, garden potography to xeric landscaping, espalier and pruning to making mosaic garden art.

There is one class that is tuition only and will probably sell out quickly. David Stevens, the British landscape architect, is presenting a 3-day Master Class on design and planting principles. He is a noted author and the winner of 11 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Cost is $425 which includes tuition credit for certified APLD members and unlimited access to the Garden Show all 5 days (call Linda 206.789.5333 to enroll).

And of course, this being SF, you can relax at Subaru Park (Subaru is the sponsor, the show is a benefit for the Friends of Recreation & Parks in SF) in what is described as "taking a glass of wine at one of our many Wine Bistros, taking a break at our Massage Bar, wander relaxed and rejuvenated through the quaint 'Cow Hollow Window Boxes' where you'll find big ideas for some of the city's smallest garden spaces. bring the kids to explore the creative gardens designed and planted by young Bay Area students at 'Dirt Mama's Li'l Gardeners."

Tickets are $17 in advance. Groups 20 or more $16. Children 4-11 $7. All show pass $65. Purchase from local nurseries, or mail/fax to SF Flower & Garden Show, 1515 NW 51st St., Seattle, WA 98107 Fax: 206.784-5545.

Hmm, can you tell I plan on going??

This message was edited May 22, 2005 8:11 AM

jkmom,

OK, don't rub it in!!! lol

Just have a good time, and let us know if you learn anything interesting to share with us.

Donna

BTW, take lots of pics!!

SoCal, they used to have a huge show at the Anahiem Convention Center. You might check eith them and see when or if another is planned.

What a great time we had! It was PACKED with people, but well worth the hassle - four buildings full of exhibits. I got some wonderful bog plants - a purple pitcher plant, Lindernia grandiflora, Corkscrew Rush, and 'Queen Victoria' lobelia. Plus a funky little curly-leaved Mondo Grass.

DD got her wish - we were front row, center for the bluebird workshop, and came home with plans for a bluebird house and all the information on how/where to place it, monitor it, feed the bluebirds, etc.

We also got to listen to Margie Hunter, author of Garden with the Native Plants of Tennessee, and see slides of her own native garden (she lives in N'ville.) Later on, we had a chance to meet her and chat for a while, which was even cooler.

And we got two Nutall Oak trees, courtesy of a metro beautification booth.

I hope everyone has as great a time at their show as we had at ours!!!!! (SoCal, just come out here next March, and we'll take you to ours :)

Terry, I'm so glad you had a good time and got some wonderful plants to boot.

I just might take you up on going to your show next year, so watch out....lol

After your DD makes her birdhouse, please take a picture of it and share it here at DG...she will get a kick out of showing off her work.

Donna

The Philadelphia Flower Show starts this coming week. The theme is "Festival de las Flores. I've been many times in the past but can't this year due to the economy, mine to be exact. It is huge! Then there is a show in Toronto the middle of March, which I've heard is very good. Then for a much smaller one but every bit as creative and professional is the Rochester, NY's Gardenscape toward the end of the month.

Lupinelover, have you ever gone to the Columbus Germantown Haus and Garten Show? I've always wanted to attend but never make plans and then it's June already!

Trillium, I think you mean the German Village Tour? Yes, I have gone some years, and it is wonderful. Are you in the central OH area?

We just got back from the Overland park Garden show,Had a great time,very nice show,The big one will be Mar 20-23 Down town,I saw this cool water garden,they had this little thingy that made the water have a dry ice effect,I may have to try a pond one of these days.

trillium.......are you talking about "Canada Blooms", the large venue in Toronto, Ontario??? being on the West coast, we never seem to get to take it in...costs an arm and a leg to fly from Van. to Toronto..Elaine

Lupinelover, yes I meant the German Village. I live in Western NY, Rochester, to be more exact. I was in Columbus several years ago for the Floribunda Show and took a tour of German Village. On the tour the guide mentioned the Haus and Garten show. I put it on my list of things to do "someday". A local antique/garden store takes a bus tour down every year and it usually sells out. How can I get my town and zone to appear under my name?

Roselaine, yes Canada Blooms in Toronto is coming up soon. I am lucky to be about 3 hrs driving time from Toronto. It is just a great place to visit. We took our boat across Lake Ontario to Toronto, tied up on the Outer Islands in the Harbor, then took ferry across to the city. Getting back across the the Lake is the tricky part as the weather can change and the waves are huge. Was a little scary in a 27 ft. boat.
Rochester is planning a ferry to go to and from Toronto.
The ferry is being built in Australia. It is a huge controversy here as most people in Rochester can't figure out why Toronto residents would want to visit Rochester.

Trillium, if you ever make it to central OH, please let me know ahead of time! I would love to tour German Village with you. The tour you refer to is the most popular one; there is another one of just the gardens a few weeks before this one. It is also outstanding! Being more of a gardener than an interior design appreciator (I am color-blind), I usually go to the early one.

My family is originally from Buffalo, most of my relatives stayed there, so we went yearly to NY. Never made it to Rochester, but often we went to Ontario, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Grand Island, etc. Upstate NY is so beautiful: my favorite vacation spot in the world is the Adirondack Mountains. We went to a place called Hemlock Hall in Blue Mountain area. So wonderful for an outdoor lover like me :)

Lupinelover, thanks for the friendly offer. I would love to go to just a garden tour. Can't this year, long story there. I enjoyed just walking around German Village and just knew behind those fences and garden walls had to be some small beautiful grassless gardens. Like you, I wouldn't be all that interested in the interior design. They would have to be very creative with storage ideas though as the houses are tiny.

I hope you have visited the Royal Botanic Garden in Hamilton, Ontario. Last I knew there are only 7 Royal BG's in the world. I have been to Kew in England and the Sydney Royal BG in Australia. Once I had a goal of visiting all seven but with the world changing into such a scary place and my diminished finances... not a goal anymore. Also Buffalo has been renovating their Botanic Gardens and Conservatory. Have you ever been to or heard of Reinstein Woods? I'm planning on a visit there this year. It's a 280 acre preserve with 80 acres of ancient forest that looks much like it did in prehistoric times. Suppose to have a rare wildflower growing there, the winged monkey flower. Visitors can't just roam around, you have to have a guide with you.

Adirondacks are wonderful. Lots of interesting wildflowers in the spring. And in August the wild blue berries are ripe. I'll have to investigate Hemlock Hall and the Blue Lake area.

edited cause I'm an idiot!LOL

This message was edited Wednesday, Mar 5th 3:40 PM

trillium girl,nice to see another NYer
Check out this link,we are having a roundup,you'll get to meet a lot of great people from here at Dave's
Plant swap too!
http://davesgarden.com/t/373337/

Crestedchik, thanks. I can't plan that far in advance. Long story. Hasn't this been a cruel winter! I've started some cuttings but they aren't looking very happy. Just too dry in the house and cold in the basement. I'm a sucker for a Plant Swap or Plant Sale.