6 replies to this topic

[Rail Paul]

Dee and I attended the show this year, it was a spur of the moment trip.

The show takes over the cavernous Pennsylvania Convention Center and the adjacent Reading Terminal headhouse. It's an enormous show, with hundreds of exhibits, displays, and garden or landscaping related models. The show generates an estimated $35mn of incremental economic activity for Philadelphia restaurants, hotels, cabs, and other businesses

The theme was "Bella Italia" so there were layouts of a Tuscan garden (30 x 30), a Ligurian seaside villa garden, several exhibits of window box flowers. A Roman garden, a Lake Country villa, and other examples. I found these quite interesting as they listed the flowers and plantings used in each, and how big they might grow. There were a number of outdoor kitchen examples, wine storage (!), and many sustainable gardening examples. Raised bed construction, low energy / low water varieties, many exotics, etc.

This being the garden show, there were many over the top examples of $50,000 rock walls with illuminated waterfalls, $90 sf paving blocks, and outdoor dining rooms under arches of teak and grape arbors. There were more community gardens represented than I recall from previous years. Many school projects and reclamation programs, too.

The show usually runs during the first full week of March each year.

Info on the show

[bloviatrix]

I love that show. I've gone on several occasions and the displays are always spectacular. The mass of humanity that attends, I could do without.

[Rail Paul]

I love that show. I've gone on several occasions and the displays are always spectacular. The mass of humanity that attends, I could do without.

I thought there was more landscaping and shrubbery, and fewer flowers than in the past. It was the usual practice of large exhibits on the far right side, small exhibits and plant judgings in the center, and the large market booth area on the left. Lots of $700 potting tables, and $10,000 garden sheds. $200 wood pails and large brass watering cans, that sort of thing. Several deer inhibitors, specialty pruning hooks, lots of brass garden art, etc.

We generally go every 2 or 3 years, but we varied our routine this year. We arrived about 2.30pm (after the cheese steak adventure), and left about 8.30. The place really emptied out by 4pm, and became quite pleasant by 7 or so. In past years, the morning and early afternoons take on the attributes of a mosh pit. The show is open until 9pm, so there's some flexibility.

I thought the food prices inside were even more of a gouge than in the past. $5 plus a mandatory 50 cent tip for a Ying or Bud beer or small cup of wine. $4.50 for a pretzel or small cup of Edy's ice cream.

[fentona]

The mass of humanity that attends, I could do without.

I'd forgotten about the Flower Show when I went to Reading Terminal Market on Thursday to do some shopping. Things always slow down at RTM during one of the big shows or conventions, but the mass of flower show humanity is especially bad. I think that looking at plants for a few hours must make people want to put down roots.

[Miguel Gierbolini]

I read this thread as Philadelphia Lawyer Show and was bit curious.

[helena]

i wonder if it's less crowded on weekdays... especially mornings...

[Rail Paul]

i wonder if it's less crowded on weekdays... especially mornings...

In my experience, mornings are the worst, by far. Especially on weekdays.

Things ease up as people go home to pick up their kids from school, garden clubs clear out, etc. I was pleasantly surprised at how modest the crowds were in the late afternoon.