artists rendition, courtesy of GMR Designs
Now is the time to think about planning your trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show, the nation’s largest and longest running flower show in North America. This year the show will run from Saturday, March 11, through Sunday, March 19. The theme is “Holland: Flowering the World.” Celebrate the beauty and ingenuity of Dutch culture, from vivid flower fields to innovative eco-design. The Philadelphia Flower Show will transport guests to the rainbow landscapes of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils and the cut-flower and bulb markets that have shaped Dutch history. The Flower Show will explore the innovation that has defined Holland’s approach to its unique landscape from windmills–one of the earliest uses of natural energy–to 21st century ecodomes and the Dutch Wave movement, which takes a natural and sustainable approach to landscape design. Leading designers from Holland, including Nico Wissing, Bart Hoes, Bart Bresser, and New Jersey born Carrie Preston will share their extraordinary floral and garden styles in major exhibits at the Flower Show.
artist rendition, courtesy of GMR Design LLC
The Flower Show is held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Street, but you don’t have to drive by yourself. In the Washington DC metropolitan area, there are several nurseries, garden clubs, Master Gardener groups, public gardens, and park systems that offer day trips to the Convention Center. Green Spring Gardens, Brookside Gardens, and Greenstreet Gardens offer bus trips, contact them directly for more information. The Washington Gardener magazine offers two trips on different days: one from Behnkes Nursery and one from Silver Spring. Check out the various venues for date/time of departure, meeting locations, and prices which could include admission ticket, food, or entertainment. This is a walk-till-you-drop event: wear tennis shoes and bring your camera!
Philadelphia Flower Show http://www.theflowershow.com
Green Spring Gardens http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
Brookside Gardens http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside
Greenstreet Gardens http://www.greenstreetgardens.com
Behnkes Nurseries http://www.behnkes.com
Washington Gardener magazine, Kathy Jentz, http://www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com
