Text and photographs are © by Ellen Spector Platt & Ellen Zachos, all rights reserved.


Friday, February 24, 2012

THE FLOWER SHOW

In Philadelphia if it's the first week of March, get ye to the Convention Center. The latest trends in garden design, like green roofs and vertical gardens.
Ideas for planting an herb garden in a window box. (all photos from previous shows;I won't be in Philly for another week yet.)

My gardening year has revolved around the Philadelphia Flower Show since I was 5. First as an awed child being taken to the old Civic Center; then as a young adult desperate for the first breath of spring, as a Mother with children in tow begging for a plant or seeds, still later as farmer with a booth in the Market Place hoping to sell my crop of dried flowers and herbs and my own books, many times as a speaker or book promoter.
Admire prize-winning specimen plants like the lemon scented geranium, Pelargonium 'Prince Rupert'
Lounge on a chair if you're tired.
Hundreds of thousands of people go home with bunches of fresh pussy willow, the favorite crop of the Market Place.

The Flower Show is an inspiration, a place to learn from fabulous speakers, listen to live music, disagree with the judges, taste food at the Reading Terminal Market.
The end of the show means spring is officially come; it's a calendar marker for me to plant seeds. My sweet peas will go in the soil the day after I come home from the show, and I'll plant zinnia seeds in a tray on the window sill during the week after that.

The show runs from Sunday March 4 through Sunday March 11. For times, speakers and a schedule of special events go to the Penna. Hort. Society site.
Look for a 15% discount on Amtrak, the best way to get to the Convention Center.
The time when it's least crowded: after three p.m. any weekday.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello,

Heading down to the Show this weekend with the whole family too.
The first breath of spring even with a thus far mild winter! We'll save some flowers for you!
Best,
Stephen

Stephen said...

Hello,

Heading down to the Show this weekend with the whole family too.
The first breath of spring even with a thus far mild winter! We'll save some flowers for you!
Best,
Stephen

Geraldine said...

A breath of spring, indoors! Looks like a good place to visit, right now.

March contest now on:

http://www.myreallifereviews.com/2012/03/march-prize-draw-at-my-real-life.html

Ellen Spector Platt said...

Set said: I'm really jealous! Now you can do the Flower Show and "nasch" at Reading TErminal Market? No fair, I only remember the scene at the old venue near Penn, this sounds glorious.

Ellen Spector Platt said...

LRK said:I loved the pictures! O.K., especially the last one. What a fabulous scarf.


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