today

Since it really is too soon to clean up the gardens (it will get cold, snowy
again before it is done here), DH and I headed over to the Chicago Garden
Show.
 
I haven't been to one in the last few years due to scheduling
issues.... and now it is put on by another group and moved to Rosemont from
Navy Pier.
 
I have never been so disappointed.  It is about an eight the size
it used to be.  It is more of a home show than a garden show based on the
vendors present.  They did not have all the exciting displays they used
too.... It DIDN'T even smell green! Many of the previous displayers were no
where in site.  I wasn't expecting Chevy displays nor Cannon camera stuff....
Everyone used the same stones for their displays- all raised beds with similar
plantings.... no color differences in stones or designs for the raised beds.
Most didn't even bring enough mulch/soil/something to cover the pots... sigh!
I guess it is a sign of the times.... no one for the most part was even
handing out literature let alone samples.  Even the goody bag you got when you
walked in only had *one* handout- the show program.  I used to selectively
pick up stuff while walking around and have a huge bag full.... this year,
nothing!
 
The seminars where boring and uninformative. More of a sales pitch
than anything else.....
 
I did like the arthritis groups display tools.  Too
bad no one there sells them....some looked interesting for my mother, as well
as me- it appeared they would take some stress off of your knees and hands.
I did buy a ratcheting limb pruner tho.... Years ago I bought the smaller hand
pruner and do like it. 
 
They did have one vendor selling bulbs- I was
tempted till I touched one- it was soft and thought, no, not going there!
So, is this what garden shows are like throughout the country now?
 
Donna

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index