Re: what makes a good garden show

**l*@juno.com**

Hi Dan,

I would say timing is everything. Although I'm sure it is a pain for the
landscapers who create the demonstration gardens, holding a garden show
at the last possible moment before our own gardens show any signs of life
should guarantee hordes of attendees, if only to smell the fragrance of
narcissi.

I'm of the opinion that gardening has more to do with dreaming and the
subconscious than with practical matters (see
http://loisdevries.blogspot.com/2007/08/transformational-power-of-gardeni
ng.html ). Shows need to create the right "atmospherics," so that
attendees can visualize themselves creating something similar at home,
whether they do it themselves, or pay someone else to do it. Mood is all
and Philadelphia is expert in this --- the gardens are large enough to
"step inside" and be enveloped by the space.

It is easier to say why I've STOPPED going to a show, than what would
make me go to one:
Getting there is a major production, involving lack of sleep, rush hour
traffic, lots of time, or lots of money.
Too many vendors unrelated to gardening.
Not enough vendors with PLANTS (why are we there?).
Too few demo gardens in a space that is too large for the show (looks
unsuccessful and "empty," when a flower show needs to look lush and
full).
I have endured bad parking, bad food, bad anything and never minded
because, around here, a gardener on the hunt in March is virtually
unstoppable.

Regards,
Lois
Visit http://loisdevries.blogspot.com

On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:55:00 -0400 "Dan Clost" <dan.clost@sympatico.ca>
writes:
> I'd like to poll the list, with the hopes that planners of garden 
> shows 
> "listen" in to your erudite responses. I suspect this might generate 
> an 
> article or two for more than a few of us.
> 
> What makes a good garden show? Displays, vendors, speakers, some 
> magical 
> combination of all three? Is it parking? What about good food? Is it 
> timing? 
> Is it gift baskets in the hotel room?
> 
> I ask because the last few I've been to have been disappointing. 
> They're 
> long time mainstays in the gardening scene but they seem to be stuck 
> in a 
> time warp, i.e. "It worked 10 years ago so it should work today, 
> too."
> 
> We must have aeons of experience amongst the lot of us, so we should 
> be able 
> to nail it down pretty well.
> Thanks,
> Dan
> 
> Dan Clost
> The Good Earth Columnist
> 
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> 
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> 
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; 
> &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
> 
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 
> 

_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters