I always enjoy the individual exhibits of potted flowers, and the range and size of some entries is kinda crazy.  This year there was a newly designed “Hamilton Horticourt” display area, a 1 million dollar construction donated by a Mrs. Hamilton (who’s name appeared on many impressive plant entries).   There were orchids in colors I don’t normally put with orchids.

Daffodils….. featuring the reliable Ice Follies in front (for you Sue)

And hyacinths and amaryllis!  I’ve never saw a pot this full. (the red is Pamela btw)

There were many many more, but I have a bias towards bulbs so sorry if you wanted foliage and cactus and more orchids.

One last display was this pot of yellow clivias.  This plant always screams fancy to me, but only because I grew up reading a White Flower Farm catalog which listed it.  The cost was somewhere in the area of $900 if I remember correctly, and I always thought of it as a houseplant holy grail.  I’m past that (maybe?) but I still think of yellow clivia growers as having some kind of social one up on me.

The shopping area was our last stop.  Lots of houseplant goodies, some excellent hardy plant displays and upscale garden knick knacks and the usual jewelry and art.  I almost bought a hellebore from the Linden Hill display, but thought twice of lugging the pot around.  I guess that will be a field trip for a later date.

So the trip was nice, we ate well at the Reading Terminal across the street, travel went smoothly, and the crowds weren’t too bad (for a Thursday).  That said it will be a few years before I want to return.  I like the springtime dose of gardening, but many of the show displays were silly fluff and there weren’t a ton of wow moments.  Am I being crabby?  Yes maybe, but it looks like the show is being geared up to a larger crowd and a broader interest range.  It’s working too since I believe they’re expecting somewhere over a quarter million visitors, but still I never like change… unless it was my idea.

So I better get back to gardening now that spring is in the air!