Northwest Flower and Garden Show

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show is coming up February 20-24, 2008. I'm going to get a two day pass and go on Wednesday and Thursday. Anyone else going?

I would love go meet you there! I'll check my calendar to see which day would work best. I may have another job by then too.

Gwen

Rachel
Where is it????
I would like to go????

Tills,
It's in Seattle at the Convention Center. Here's the website http://www.gardenshow.com/seattle/theshow/index.asp

Hmmm....I haven't been to this in years and years. And Wednesday or Thursday would be a lot less crowded, too. What's the parking situation these days?

You park in the convention center garage. If I recall correctly it's about $15 for the day if you get the early bird discount (before 9 a.m.)

If you don't want to deal with traffic, you can drive to the transit center right near the Northgate mall (just north of the ship canal bridge and right off I-5). There are regular shuttle trips to and from the show from there. I can't remember, though last year I think you actually had to pay a little for the shuttle. In previous year it was free.

The only problem with that, of course, is that you can't carry a lot of stuff on the bus. You could meet at the transit center and carpool, though.

Don't know yet if I can make this one, let you know.

I'd sure like to go but I've always gone to setup displays & stuff with whoever I was working with. Should I pre-buy a ticket or ? Wouldn't mind car pooling with someone as parking in that area can be expensive. If I go the night before I'd be staying at my friends place near Lakecity Way & I5 or is it Ravenna - I always get confused. It'd be fun with other DG'ers!

Ravenna & Lake City kind of intertwine and flipflop right in through there. If you aren't planning on buying a ton of stuff, the Northgate shuttle makes a lot of sense for you. Still, we've got tons of time to get it all figured out yet as far as carpooling, etc. If I stay in the city, I'll be south of you.
Hmmm. I think I need to think through some logistics.

I don't think we'll be able to pull together a whole group of 20+ and get the discounted tix, but that would sure be a neat thing to do some year.

Growin it would be great to meet you!

If any one on my side wants to pool, let me know. Maybe if I had some buddies to go with on the travel side of it, would be more fun. I kinda feel like Growin, in another country and over the water >>>

Growin, what days were you thinking you could go to the garden show?

I can prettymuch go any of the days. I might even bring down my vintage travel trailer and find a campground. I can work around everyones schedule for when to go. The bigger issue for me is $.

Is that the one that's got the picture in the car and truck forum? That's a neat trailer!

I just sent an email to my in-laws who do the RV thing asking them if they had any campground recommendations I could pass along to you. I'll let you know if they've got any good ideas.

Yes, that's the one. I'm still looking for a stove for it. I call it a "50 footer" as it looks great from 50 foot. Up close it still looks a bit rough around the edges. If you find anything out, let me know.

Hi Growin,
It's always hard to know this stuff about the town you're from, but this is what my ln-laws had to say.

There is a KOA in Kent across from Boeing. Easy access to I-5. Don't know of any others. Land is too expensive. Might look in Bothell or Briar. I've heard about one up there near a lake, but don't know the name. We see a lot of RVs parked along the street (9 yesterday) near LA Fitness. Exit I-5 at 145th S. on 1st or Meridian to 130th, W on 130th to Stone (just before Aurora and behind the Albertsons). The rigs parked there seem to have been there a long time and aren't bothered by police. All back doors of big stores to the West and stuff like AA Rents and storage places to the East. Hope that can help.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for. Seems like there should be something east of the metro area in the foothills, too, but that would still mean a big drive into the city for the day.

Growin -

You are always welcome to stay with me (and the many dogs and cats) or even park your trailer at my place, if you prefer that. I'm way off the beaten path, though. It's about 40 mins into Seattle from my place.

I believe I have that week off, so I might actually make it to a garden show. I've not been to one since I was a kid in Chicago. My grandfather used to go with my family as a special outing to the Flower Show at the amphitheatre. What is the Seattle show like? What is the best thing to go for, the displays, speakers and workshops, or the vendors? Do they have special deals on pricing at all? If I do go, I would probably take the foot passenger ferry in sometime in the morning. Does anyone know how to get there from the piers on the waterfront? My car is of questionable reliability at the moment, so it would have to be public transportation. I have a metal folding grocery cart with wheels that could carry a few plant home.

MHF-
I enjoy each everything about the show. This will by my fourth consecutive year attending. The vendors do have show specials and the display gardens are amazing. The website is very informative http://www.gardenshow.com/seattle/index/index.asp At the top of the website you will see tabs that have all kinds of information about this years show and pictures from last years show.

I did a little research and here is what I found. From Pier 50 (801 Alaskan Way) you follow these directions:

Walk 0.2 mile N from 801 ALASKAN WAY to

Depart Madison St & 1st Ave At 08:34 AM On Route MT 10 Capitol Hill

Arrive Pike St & Convention Pl At 08:42 AM

Walk 0.1 mile S to 800 CONVENTION PL

Regular Fare: Senior/Disabled Fare with Permit:
$ 0.00 $ 0.00

Here is the link to the trip planner not sure if it will work or if you need to re-enter the information http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-bin/itin.pl

Return trip:

Walk 0.2 mile N from 800 CONVENTION PL to

Depart Pine St & 9th Ave At 06:09 PM On Route MT 125 White Center

Arrive Columbia St & 2nd Ave At 06:16 PM

Walk 0.2 mile SW to 801 ALASKAN WAY

Regular Fare: Senior/Disabled Fare with Permit:
$ 0.00 $ 0.00

Link:
http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-bin/itin.pl

Hope that you are able to go. Look forward to meeting you! Rachel

I'm definitely going on WEdnesday, and I want to get parking in the convention center lot. Last time I went, parking was an absolute nightmare. I believe I went on Saturday and by the time I got there the convention center lot was full, as was nearly every lot around. I parked at some store's highrise parking lot and walked several blocks. I buy too much stuff to do that so by the end of the day the irritability factor was extremely high for me. I'm going early, can carpool w/whoever wants to go early, too. I'm willing to drive my van if people want to ride. Most of the plants sold at the show are small, so there is room for a couple more people plus packages.

Mauryhill, the secret to enjoying the show is that grocery cart on wheels you have. I have one, too, and I attached a large rectangular basket to it w/bungee cords. It's the envy of all the other middle aged gardeners there. If we all had them, we would have a group identity.

Growin, I know this is wierd, but I have heard that Wal-mart allows people to park travel trailers in their parking lots overnight. They don't charge them anything. Here's a link to a list of Walmart stores that do NOT allow campers to stay overnight. I don't know where the nearest walmart is in Seattle. If they had their way there would likely be a walmart AT the convention center.
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/walmart_nocamping.aspx#st_57

Is this a recent change? It's been a long time since I went.
SEMINAR PASS POLICY

Our Seminar Passes guarantee you a seat in a seminar if you are seated at least 15 minutes before the seminar begins. Can’t decide what seminars you want to see? Click here.

TO GET A PASS:

* Pick up your free passes at the Seminar Pass Booth in the 4th Floor North Lobby, just outside the sky bridge entrance.
* Pass distribution begins at 8:30 am each show day.
* Passes are available 2 hours before each seminar starts.
* Show your untorn ticket, hand stamp or wristband.
* Two passes per person, first come-first served.
* Passes are only needed for the Rainier and Hood Room seminars.
* No passes are needed for the Monrovia DIY Stage or the Sprout Stage in Sproutopia!

TO GET A SEAT:

* Be seated no later than 15 minutes before the seminar starts!
* Pass holders arriving within 5 minutes of start of seminar are not guaranteed a seat.
* Standby seating for those without passes begins 5 minutes before seminar starts.
* All rooms are cleared after every seminar, even if passes are help for the next seminar scheduled in that room.

No, it's not a change. You get your pass to a specific lecture beginning two hours before that lecture is scheduled to start. So if the lecture begins at 1:00pm, they will not give you a pass to it until 11:00 am. I figure the line for Dan's lecture will begin forming at least an hour before they begin giving out passes.
The last time I went , but ,again, it was on the weekend, I could have spent all my time in line getting passes so I 'passed' on all of the passes!

Well, I haven't been since, oh, 1999? Don't like the weekends, and couldn't get time off work.

Hm, it says two passes per person. I think Laurie's got the right idea of going in a group.

Rach, I'm going on Wednesday AM. will try to get to parking at the CC early enough to get parking. Jim

Jim-
I'm going on Wednesday (I think Susy and I are going to carpool) and Thursday. Will be there before it opens standing at the doors drooling! Check your dmail

Hi Guys I was looking throught the heronswood cataloge and I have alot of what they have for sale. Campanula pink octopus and alot of the cataloge. I will try to update my website with the new stuff next week. My friend Ian owns deserts northwest and he is helping me make labels for next year. wow won't that be great. But he has all my info. Cool beans Heidi Can you tell it is cold and crappy and I'm not very motivated to go outside so it ia 9:00 AND I'M STILL INSIDE. They dogs are ready though. Heidi

Heidi, that's great, I refuse to buy from them. can't wait to get up there and see what you got in, Jim

I will never buy from them. their catalog is insulting. I've tried to get removed from their mailing list to no avail.
Yep, cold and crappy outside. I have on the overalls but I haven't summoned the courage yet. I'm working on an area that was severely badly used in the landscape. It was basically a storage space between my workshop and my DH's workshop and one day I looked at it and it occurred to me that it was being completely wasted. There is a lovely native dogwood tree there and it actually gets sunshine in the spring and summer. So the fence came down the next week (I do love my DH so much!) and I have almost cleared it. I planted to clematis to climb up the dogwood tree and now I'm working on the further design and to tie it in with the rest of what I refer to as a 'landscape'. I should probably work some more on it today.

Pix, I've been venturing out the last 3 days. a little chilly but it's nice to get outside and getting the branches pick up and any leaves. punch down the mole hills, have to start baiting them. good luck with your new area, send a pic, Jim

I'll start a thread for it, Jim, when I really get going. I've been venturing out whenever I have a couple of hours here or there. I've got one perennial bed halfway redone. Need to do the other half. And been compulsively going around and checking on all my little hosta toddlers from last year. I obsess over them. I bet you relate to that more than most!

Anyone from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, N/S Dakota want to go? I still need to look at the total cost to make sure I can afford it. Let me know!

Yeah, we have Motana folks joining in!

I'm so envious . . . I may go, but it'll have to be Saturday or Sunday only. Boohoo. Hope you guys get to go to some good seminars and get some good stuff. I want to hear about it!!

Woohoo! It's worth the trip! Sorry you can't make it during the week, Katie. don't you just hate those things called jobs sometimes? I lose money when I take the day off, but sometimes I simply have to do it.

Katie, I can only go on the weekend as well. Unless it's open during an evening.

anyone else going on the weekend?

Gwen

Heidi, did you know about the Little and Lewis closing after the 08 season? I will have to go up there and take pictures of everything. I'm wanting to make some of the different garden art that they offer. Jim

There closing! I have never been, we need to take a fieldtrip!

When
I've never been there either

Oh, I didn't know either! Their garden is definitely worth seeing. And photographing!