The Flower Shows, 2022

Posted on Thursday, February 3, 2022 · Leave a Comment 

Usually at this time of year I am planning my travel to the various flower shows around New England: Boston, Connecticut or Vermont. Perhaps Maine. Not this year. Most of the show have been put off due to Covid, including the Boston Show, which cancelled recently. The Connecticut Flower Show website says it will be the only major flower show in New England.

 

A garden at a past Hartford, CT Show

The Connecticut Flower Show will take place February 24 to 27 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CTR. Tickets costs $20 for adults on the day of the event, or $16 if purchased in advance (which will avoid the wait in line). Children ages 5 to 12 are $5, and children under 5 are free. The Convention Center has been upgraded to minimize risk of Covid transmission and state and local regulations will be followed.

 

The show is always known for having lots of educational workshops. This year is no exception: there are some 80 presentations including organic lawn care, container gardening, floral arranging and pollinator gardens, among others.

 

One talk that caught my eye is by a friend of mine, Len Giddix. It’s Rain Gutter Gardening: Sprouts, Herbs and Greens without Draining Your Wallet. I called Len who explained that he uses  four-inch pots in a 10-foot section of gutter partially filled with potting mix. It’s tidy, and can produce a lot of greens. And no, the gutter is not up high, it’s along the edge of a walkway. Sounds slick! He’ll repeat his demo every day.

 

The show will have all the usual vendors selling seeds, plants, cut flowers, air plants, tick protection products, beekeeping supplies, garden tools and more. Organizations like the Rose Society will be there, and other non-profits.

 

Calla lilies at the Chelsea Flower Show in London

Next there is the Chelsea Flower Show in London from May 24 to 28. This show has always been held outdoors and is known for the lavish gardens built by world-famous designers, often using mature trees and shrubs. There are, of course, tents, one of which would easily accommodate Barnum and Bailey at its heyday. My wife and I attended in 2017.

 

The magnificence of the show is startling: hundreds of fresh blossoms in perfect form in many of the booths. New introductions of named varieties are on display. Actress Judi Dench got a lovely apricot-colored rose named after her by David Austin the year I attended, and as press, I got to see her accept the honor. The chief executive of Burpee Seeds, George Ball, was in the Burpee booth, greeting us and answering questions. There was even a cute little robot cutting the lawn in one booth. The show covers many acres.

 

If you decide to go, I recommend joining the Royal Horticultural Society for 50 pounds ($67.50 at current exchange rate). The membership gets you into the show for 2 days before it opens to all, a 10% discount on all tickets, and other benefits including their quarterly magazine. I went on the first membership day and it was quite crowded, so I can’t imagine what it is like when the show is open to the public. I recommend attending at least 2 days to see it all, which is what we did.

 

Daily tickets for adults cost about $55, with Saturday at about $116. But if you can afford it, go! It’s a once in a lifetime experience. And women: bring your most colorful garden hat and a flowered dress as the British women love to dress up for the show – and you don’t want to appear like the poor “country cousin.”

 

Philadelphia Flower was also outdoors in 2021

Then there is the Philadelphia Flower Show which will be held outdoors from June 11 to 19 at South Philadelphia’s Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. The show, which was first organized by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 1829, will include 15 acres of this large park with majestic trees and views of the waterfront. By holding the show outdoors in early summer, exhibitors will be able to include larger landscape material than an indoor event, much as the Chelsea Flower Show does.

 

I have attended the Philly show in the past, and always was thoroughly “wowed”. One aspect of the show that I love is the competitions that allows ordinary gardeners to strut their stuff, competing for ribbons for best house plants, flower arrangements, specialty plants and more. Then of course there are the displays made by professional landscapers, stone workers and designers. And more garden geegaws than you can imagine are for sale.

 

Bring an umbrella or rain coat, just in case of  shower. There are tents, but much is outdoors. The large venue outdoor should keep attendees well socially distanced.

 

For non-members of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) admission is $45 for adults, $30 for young adults (18 to 29), and $20 for kids 5 to 17. Members of the PHS can get 10% discounts. Go to the website to read more about gala events and early morning tours: https://phsonline.org/the-flower-show

 

 Covid has limited what we can do and see, but there are still a few places to go if you hanker for a good garden show. And maybe next year they will all be back to normal.

 

Henry lives in Cornish Flat, NH., He is the author of 4 gardening books. His email is henry.homeyer@comcast.net.

Filed under Article · Tagged with chelsea flower show, hartford ct flower show, philadelphia flower show

The Flower Shows

The old timers say that on Groundhog’s Day you should still have half your woodpile left. I say you should have ordered your seeds and made plans to attend at least one spring flower show. I’m still working on my seed orders, but would like to share the details of the flower shows with you now so you can make plans, too.

The first each year on the list of shows is the New Hampshire Orchid Society show in early February, this year February 8-10. It is just orchids. Orchids of all kinds, and paraphernalia for orchid growers.  Adults are $10, seniors $6, and you can get a $2 off coupon on their web site ((www.nhorchids.org)). It’s at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua.

Rhode Island Show 2012

The first big shows are in Providence, RI and Hartford, CT on the weekend of February 21-24. I attended the Rhode Island show these last 2 years, and loved it! It has many of the attractions of the Boston show, but not the crowds and crazy drivers of Boston. It has a good menu of speakers, an excellent variety of vendors and plenty of floral displays. I also love the sand sculptors that create magical sand castles – almost life size.

The Providence show is held in the Rhode Island Convention in downtown Providence. Admission is$19 for adults, but you can save $2 by buying in advance. There is also a food and wine show featuring well-known chefs from 1-5 daily; if you intend to attend that, the price for both is $30. Info: www.flowershow.com.

The Connecticut Flower and Garden Show will be at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, February 21-24. The theme this year is “Love in Bloom” and boasts 300 booths and 80 hours of seminars. I went on a Saturday last year, and it was very busy – almost too busy, for me. But there is a lot to see. Admission is $16 for adults and, please note, they only accept cash for tickets at the door. Info: www.ctflowershow.com.

Rhode Island Snow 2012

One of my favorites is the biennial Vermont Flower Show, held this year on March 1-3 at the Champlain Valley Expo Center in Essex Junction, Vermont. I love that the members of the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association all work together to create special exhibits – rather than competing against each other. This year’s theme is “The Road Not Taken” after the Frost poem. Parking is free and easy, crowds are reasonable, there is plenty to see, and there will be a nice variety of speakers. I’ll be presenting Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Admission is $15, only $3 for kids 3-17 and $12 for seniors over 60.

The Vermont Show is a family-friendly show: There is a nice family activity room where they will have performers as well as art supplies and games. The Vermont Federated Garden Clubs Association encourages children to enter a container-grown plant with interesting foliage or flowers.  And, for kids of all ages there is a great display of model trains. This is the smallest of the shows, but full of flowers and flowering shrubs. There will be an excellent show of stonework by Dan Snow, a dry stonewall expert. Info: http://greenworksvermont.org/

Rhode Island Show 2012

The Philadelphia Show is the opposite of the Vermont Show: big, busy, and brassy.  It has been in existence since 1829, and hosts over 250,000 visitors each year. It will be held March 2-10 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Tickets are (ouch!) $27 – but worth it. If you’re a serious gardener, you must go at least once in your life! Info, http://theflowershow.com/.

The Portland, Maine Flower Show is March 7 -10 at the Portland Company Complex on Fore St, downtown. Tickets cost $13. Info: http://portlandcompany.com.

Boston is another big show with lots to offer. Held each year at the Seaport World Trade Center, it is March 13-17. Lots of displays, lots of speakers. Reading the list of talks, I loved this one: “Jaw-Dropping, Traffic-Stopping, Get-Your-Neighbors-Talking Container Gardens” by Deborah Trickett. That alone is almost enough to get me there!  There are lectures by plenty of well known garden experts to choose from. Tickets are $20. Info: http://www.bostonflowershow.com.

After Boston comes The Seacoast Home and Garden Show in Durham, NH on March 23-24. A nice small show. Tickets are only $8. Info: www.NewEnglandExpos.com.

The last show of the season is Bangor, Maine April 5 to 7 in the Bangor Auditorium. Their website www.bangorgardenshow.com

We can’t change our weather, but we can change our attitudes about winter – by going to the garden shows. I recommend it. Smell the daffodils, go to a lecture, buy something in bloom. You’ll feel better.

You can reach Henry at PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746 or henry.homeyer@comcast.net. His websites are www.gardening-guy.com and www.henryhomeyer.com.

Copyright © 2014 Henry Homeyer

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