Overall, I was not imppressed with this year's Flower Show exhibits
except for the Styers exhibit which always seems to excel as well as
several others. I'm certainly not interested in how a business has
been able to acquire its "free" (aka old and unusable)items to
enhance an exhibit in which it can win an authentic award{reward). I
have been a PHS member for many years, and I hope that next year's
show provides more of the excellence to which I've become
accustomed.

I thought Charlotte capture the sounds and essence of the show
perfectly. 

I can usually tell when someone has not ever been involved in
building an exhibit or even has any idea what goes on behind the
scenes of the Philly Flower Show.  And yes, it is great to hear how
people got things for their exhibit.  

I watched many of my former Temple students spend sleepless nights
to get ready for the show - slaving over the mock exhibits back at
the university in a classroom on the floor.  

For everyone plant on the floor of the show there are about 9
waiting in the wings in case there is one that faulters or wilts.  

People do not know how lucky we are - we have the best and biggest
flower in the world - and all the plants are forced and times
perfectly - orchestrated to perfect. 

Certainly some viewers have been desensitized by our world of Wow. 
The show was the best and will the best next year too!  Beauty is in
the eye of the beholder.  It is a shame that people cannot see the
beauty in the recycling of music. 

Kudos to you Charlotte for capturing the sound and the ambience of
the Best indoor Flower Show in the world!!

I was totally captivated by the Flower Show!  
From the entrance to four hours later leaving with many "goodies",
my senses were stimulated.

I was inspired by the combination of music and color - two things
that I dearly love.

There will definitely be some musical notes in my garden this year!

While the entry may not have been as grandly floriferous as we’re
accustomed to seeing, or as spectacular as the orchid display of a
few years ago, it certainly set the tone for this year’s New Orleans
theme. There’s no doubt that music and gardens would intertwine
throughout, and we’d be treated to perhaps some different types of
plants than we usually see: for example, more tropicals and fewer
spring bulbs. 

Each year’s show---taken on its own merits---offers dozens of
creative ways to weave that extra little melody (i.e., the show’s
theme) throughout the garden. This year, I took home ideas for using
tropicals, visual and auditory props (instruments & music), and
fountains for improving courtyards/small/vertical spaces. And I, for
one, am jazzed for spring.

Thank you all - Connie, Eva, Sandra, and Pat M. - for sharing Flower
Show thoughts. Creating the Philadelphia Flower Show likely involves
striking a fine yet dynamic balance of traditional, contemporary,
old, new, sensory, intellectual, educational, showy and exciting.
Plus it wants to appeal to women, men, and children of all ages as
well as levels of gardening interest and expertise.
The Flower Show, I'm learning, is much more than the sum of its
obvious beautiful, sometimes quirkly, parts. Beyond and within the
exhibits, competitions, and vendors, there's a deep, constant
history for many participants as well as viewers. Many strong
threads connect generation to generation, friend to friend, teacher
to student, boss to employee, mentor to new gardener.
Its friends, energy, creativity, colors and flowers stir me from
winter doldrums. Now to check my newly-planted Tithonia seeds for
cotyledons.
Blossoms up,
Charlotte