While most of us are reading gardening catalogs,
putting our gardens to bed for the winter, let me give you something to
look forward to before they erupt with new life in the Spring and
require our attention.
The Philadelphia Flower Show presents Hawaii in
"Islands of Aloha" March 4 -March 11, 2012. It focuses on the
spirit, the dramatic landscapes and the fiery volcanoes of the Aloha
state. Everyone should see this show once in their life. Check
the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society website for additional information.
Note: Rosemary Harris, the mystery writing Master Gardener, whose recent
book Slugfest I reviewed earlier, has volunteered for the past 11
years at this show.
Another great show is the Boston Flower Show
presented by Massachusetts Horticulture Society March 14-18,2012. The
theme this year is "First Impressions". Carrying out that theme
will be the host of HGTV' Curb Appeal. Cooking demonstrations, flower
demonstrations and gardening workshops will be presented. So if you
are headed for New England, plan to visit this show.
Locally, well, its really in the extended local area,
is the Maymont Foundation Flower and Garden Show February 9-12, 2012 at
the Richmond Convention Center. The ticket is a 2 for 1 special.
Not only will you see this Flower and Garden Show with outstanding landscape
exhibits, the latest in horticulture and gardens, plus seminars and a Garden
Marketplace that will make you want to buy everything you see, admission to the
Richmond Home Show is included! The Marketplace has flowers, plants,
books, jewelry, tools, containers and wearables goodies for working in the
garden and for going out to lunch with the ladies. The Home Show
will entice you and stimulate you with ideas to perk up your home for Spring
and Summer. A visit to this show is a great ladies day out event.
I am always looking for new containers- floral design
is a passion. So I am delighted to discover 3
places that have some unusual items. While not necessarily floral containers,
these are good sources for the different and the creative. Check out
Chiasso at www.chiassso.com
and for gimmicky containers go to www.uncommongoods.com look at Country House Floral www.countryhousefloral.com
for bases, mechanics, tools, accessories, sculptures and flower holders.
Remember Ikea and garage and estate sales.
If you do flowers for your church, you may be
interested in the Flower Arranging Seminar for Holy Spaces presented by
the Altar Guild of the Washington National Cathedral. This is a 5 day
seminar which includes room in the Cathedral College on the Cathedral grounds, board,
instruction, workshop materials, flower clippers and flowers. Registration is
limited to 24 participants. They hope to have students from across the
country. The website is www.nationalcathedral.org.
Do you have trouble with wilting blooms? Do your
flowers need perking up? Well, according to the January 2000 issue of Harvard
Men's Health Watch,a team at the University of Bristol and David Domoney,
speaker at the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show, who said " It is an
expensive way to stiffen blooms -but it really works", a helpful tip for
flower arranging competionion entrants. The same chemical, nitirc oxide,
which stimulates the free flow of blood through the body, helps water be better
absorbed and retained by plants. It can double the life of cut flowers,
keeping them fresh for a week longer than normal. This is the same nitric
oxide that increases the shelf life of strawberries, broccoli, legumes and
other perishables. According to researchers, it only takes 1mg of Viagra
to keep 2 vases of flowers perky. Isn't science wonderful?
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