Philadelphia International Flower Show March 2-10

Each year the illusion of Spring arrives in the NE with the always spectacular,  Philadelphia International Flower Show (March 2- 10.)  If attending, prepare for the British Invasion as the culture and horticulture of the United Kingdom takes center stage.  Can't you just see all of the English roses done in proper arrangements but en masse? (even I know a simple Botanistix would be inappropriate here!) It almost makes me want to take a quick trip to the cold, (usually rainy in March) city of Philadelphia.  Coming back to my senses here in sunny & warm  Naples, I guess I will run over to the Naples Botanical Garden to satisfy my horticultural yearnings. The years I attended this show,  I was convinced Spring was 'just around the corner.'  Most times that was not to be, but it made the remainder of Winter more bearable.

So many cities do wonderful flower shows at this time of year.  I will do some investigating and detail some of the more popular ones in the coming months.  Please let me know if your city is hosting a great show this Spring/Summer.

“Brilliant!”

The 2013 Flower Show glows with the majestic beauty and creative genius of Great Britain, and is inspired by centuries of British culture, culminating in the urbane design of modern-day London.

“Brilliant!” takes visitors from royal palaces to the dark and foggy streetscapes of Jack the Ripper. The whimsy of the Mad Hatter’s tea party, the coziness of a country cottage, and the refinement of a manicured cricket club will all come together for a whirlwind tour of the UK.

The show-stopping central feature of the 2013 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show focuses on London and its influence in the modern world. A fabulous display of English roses and a horticultural interpretation of royal palace gates will open to an allée of regal birch trees, leading to the show’s centerpiece: a sculptural, digitally enhanced rendition of Big Ben. Keep an eye on that clock, there’s more than meets the eye!

Each year the Show's centerpiece is designed by Sam Lemheney, Flower Show director, in partnership with GMR Design and with support from Barb King and Valley Forge Flowers. For the second year the team at Klip Collective is designing and installing the audio/visual component of the Central Feature. 

Free daily lectures and presentations range from flower arranging,
container gardening, landscaping and gardening on your deck, to pest control, Ikebana, growing orchids and much more. National and local gardening authors, celebrities and experts discuss a broad range of horticultural topics including how-to tips for your flowers, yard and vegetable gardens. Look below for a complete schedule (subject to change).

Highlights for 2013 include:

Mark Lane, MVO, is Gardens Manager for The Royal Household. Mark began working at Buckingham Palace in 1979 and was appointed Head Gardener in 1992. He also judges for both the Royal Horticultural Society and London in Bloom.

Raymond J. Evison, OBE, VMH, is a nurseryman, lecturer, author, photographer, and founder of the Guernsey Clematis Nursery, who has introduced more than 100 clematis species cultivars.

Melinda Myers is a nationally known gardening expert, television/radio host, author, and Birds & Blooms columnist with more than 30 years of horticulture experience. She has written many gardening books, including “Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening,” and hosts the nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” segments.

Barbara Damrosch, called the “queen of organic growers” by the New York Times, is one of the nation’s most respected garden experts and writers. She is the author of “Theme Gardens” and “The Garden Primer,” and writes a weekly column for the Washington Post called “A Cook’s Garden.”

The best in the business have created floral arrangementsand lush landscapes that uplift the British theme.

Each year Flower Show exhibitors, representing the best talents in the floral and landscaping fields, create full-scale displays that delight more than a quarter million visitors.

Many of these exhibitors have spent decades perfecting their craft, which often includes forcing a great variety of plants into bloom in time for the Show. Exhibitors spend an average of 18 months preparing their displays. With only nine days to show off their talents, each company or organization must pull out all stops to be considered the very best.

If you are in the NE, this is a win, win.  If not, its off to the Naples Botanical Garden and complaining about the sunburn!