Poundridge Nurseries, Inc. - Blog

Earlier this year in March, well before the hustle and bustle of the spring planting season, a fellow designer and I attended the Philadelphia Flower Show. If you have never been to the Philly Flower Show you don’t know what you are missing. Make a point of attending next year. There is no better remedy for a wet and raw New England winter than to walk into a spacious hall bursting to the rafters with the flowers and foliage of countless plants.

After the initial shock of stepping into the midst of such intense greenery, like a couple of horticultural Charlies entering Wonka’s magical Chocolate Room, my colleague and I settled down and methodically visited every exhibit. The garden design installations were just the beginning. There were also flower arrangements, pressed flower collages, and best of all, the individual plant ribbon winners. There is something special about seeing a perfectly formed and absolutely healthy plant, such as tuberous begonias with flawless foliage, or orchids with petals impeccably timed to open for the show. My favorite was a wisteria vine trained into a tame little tree. Set among the other ribbon winners it stood like a proud lion taught to purr among the gazelles.

The art and passion for growing plants can be carried to extraordinary lengths. While I consider myself a skilled horticulturist, the folks that participate in flower shows (and be sure to know that the foliage is just as important as the flowers in a flower show) possess a dedication that makes the ardor of an ordinary gardener pale in comparison. Understanding how tricky it is to grow good plants, mere mortal gardeners appreciate what it takes to raise a perfect horticultural specimen, and so rather than becoming jealous of the success of these dedicated few we can appreciate and admire their accomplishments.

Every plant at a flower show stands like a singular jewel, carefully poised upon a stage to display its beauty and perfection to full effect, and when you realize what it takes to grow plants this well–the skill, intuition, and what some might call horticultural magic, something only the greenest of green thumbs possess–you will never look at a show rose in the same way again. It inspires as it awes.

Though the major flower shows such as the PFS or New England Grows take place in the spring when we need their inspiration the most, there is a steady stream of local flower shows organized throughout the growing season. Whether its a local orchid society show or something larger with numerous categories, there is always something to be be learned by seeing the handiwork of expert plantsmen and women.

It just so happens that a flower show is coming to Poundridge Nurseries. “the proverbial gardener” A Standard Flower Show, sponsored by the Pound Ridge Garden Club, will take place on June 25th and 26th. Open to the public and with free admission, the show will represent the greenest thumbs within our community. I invite you all to attend.

Daryl Beyers