For the fifth consecutive year, I made it out to the Philadelphia Flower Show and as expected, it didn’t disappoint. There was a threat of snow in the air as I set out this morning, but if you’re an integral part of the media like me, you cannot let that stand in the way. There was a story to be reported on and I needed to deliver.
This year’s theme is ARTiculture, “where art meets horticulture”. This theme jumps out at you as soon as you enter the main hall, and in a good way. Not in a “please tone it down I’m on sensory overload” way. Obviously art and horticulture go hand in hand and to the surprise of no one, the designers played off of that interplay to perfection.
Upon entering the garden display zone, I followed my usual routine. Camera in hand and extremely business-like; I am a professional photographer and I am here to work. There are photos to be taken and all must get out of my way.
This is where it helps to be 6 foot 4. I have the luxury of being able to take photos without much of a concern as to who is around me. There is little competition and I really can’t be defeated. I even considered renting myself out for a small fee (note to self for next year).
After about an hour of shooting from every possible angle, the camera goes away and I grab myself an $8 beer (Yards IPA) and try to actually enjoy the gardens without thinking about how to photograph them. I’ll then stroll down to the vendors/booths to check out potential purchases and the latest gimmicks.
It was a mad house near the vendors this year so the stroll didn’t last very long. And I didn’t buy a thing. Instead, I grabbed myself a sandwich, sat down for a bit and regrouped. That only lasted for five minutes and I was up with the camera in tow yet again. I couldn’t deny that I the photo taking more than anything else.
So without further ado, I give you the best of my pics from the show …
Actually before we get to that, I have a few observations on the crowd. Specifically, three different “types” of visitors I witnessed today and have witnessed at each and every other show to date:
Husband/boyfriend wearing an Eagles jersey telling the world it wasn’t his idea to go to the show – this was as entertaining to watch as the show itself. As the wife/girlfriend walked from display to display, wine in hand, the husband/boyfriend didn’t hide his disdain for being there and constantly checked his phone with a courtesy glance thrown at the flowers every minute or so.
Husband/boyfriend pretending to be interested with the hopes of scoring points with their significant other – this was also super entertaining and I appreciated the effort, even though I saw right through them.
Models demanding to have themselves photographed in front of each and every display – true story, I witnessed a woman, the width of a Twix bar, ask her photographer boyfriend/gofer if he can make sure she looks “as thin as possible” in a particular shot. I threw her a sandwich and walked away.
Back to the photos (with a few random comments thrown in) …
Love me an all conifer display:
The stepping stones are covered in newspaper articles from the New York Times:
The Subaru display was my personal favorite:
Watching Miriam Goldberger, author of Taming Wildflowers and Jerry Fritz in a container gardening extravaganza:
Yes, dead grasses … finally a display I can personally relate to:
The Fabulous Beekman Boys signing books:
Your”types” of visitors bit made me laugh! Weren’t the guys interested in the construction (wood work/masonry/etc.) part of the gardens? The part about touring the gardens with a glass of wine in hand sounds cool but it might make it difficult to take pictures and carry around all the stuff you’ve purchased. Still… Looks like there were some really imaginative gardens in the show this year! The fifth picture of the arid garden is way cool and the one that follows with all the big frames and plant created artwork was over the top! The theme of the Seattle show was “Art In Bloom” and it’s interesting to see the differences in how designers interpreted a similar idea here and there!
The picture with the red seating group & pink astibles gives me an idea for something to do in my backyard. I have only about 50′ to the property line from the end of the house, and my husband-to-be (26 days togo!) wants to preserve most of the lawn (why?) so I can’t plan a huge patio. I think that a little square thing like that with a low privacy screen/shrubs would be lovely.
The shot of the Agaves with cacti arrayed around them in a circle like a mini-Stonehenge is kind of hilarious.
One of the best blog posts I’ve seen this winter. I was entertained and educated by both the photos and your commentary. Great job, (and I hope you enjoyed your visit there, too.)
Ray
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