Saturday, March 1, 2008

CNY Blooms

With my gardens still buried under white I decided to make the drive to Syracuse for the CNY Blooms Flower and Garden Show for some color. I had hoped to have a girls day out but my sister is off to Ottawa and CJ needed to be home with her family - my best wishes to them!

Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden

Sunny Perennial Border

The show last year was so disappointing that I almost didn't go. I'm happy to say that this year's show was much better than last year's. They made better use of the space and claustrophobia wasn't an issue for me today. They also had more speakers which was great.

I arrived right at 9:00 so I could catch Terry Ettinger's presentation. Terry hosts Garden Journey's on our local cable news channel (which you can view online) and also has a radio show, Weeder's Digest. He is an enjoyable speaker and addressed several myths. He made a great point about pruning shrubs - if they are planted in a spot where they can reach their full potential you won't need to prune! I see this around here with rhododendrons. People plant than under windows and then are surprised when they grow 10'+. I liked his suggestion that we plant our vegetable gardens close to the house and that they don't need to be planted in rows. He talked quite a bit about lawn care. I know all the rules but the reality is that I'm never going to have a pretty lawn because I'm not going to spend that much time!

The keynote speaker, Melinda Myers, spoke right after Terry. She spoke about different plant combinations for four season interest. She won me over when she acknowledged that many of the plants suggested for winter interest aren't very interesting when buried under snow! I jotted down the names of many of the plants she talked about so that I can look them up. She had one picture of a tobacco plant and I managed not to laugh out loud. I know many of you love nicotiana and grow the smaller, ornamental varieties for their fragrance but after working in my father's tobacco fields the idea of growing it as an ornamental struck me as hilarious. One plant that she talked about that I knew little about was species tulips. They form a seed pod, spread well and are hardy so I'll be giving them a try. Overall I enjoyed Melinda's presentation but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been sitting so long and if the room had been a tad warmer.

I ran into Jane, Ear to the Ground, and picked up my copies of the Upstate Gardener's Journal and the 2008 Directory. She assured me that GardenScape in Rochester will be worth the trip so hopefully the weather will cooperate. I also got to stop and chat at Musumeci's Greenhouses booth.

This was the display at the entrance to the show. The "bug" was easier on the eyes than the jeep last year.

This was an old sleigh full of flowers. Wrought iron was everywhere.

I loved the water wheel.

This water feature was great and actually doable! The glass was etched with a peacock and the water came up a piece of copper tubing. I think this was by Phoenix Flower Farm.

A smaller fountain.

This was my favorite display and my camera failed me! Ballantyne Gardens had the largest selection of plants and I took away some ideas.

Another beautiful water feature but way out of my reach.

We're getting more snow now. Gardening here is still a long way off...... :(

10 comments:

  1. Too bad CG or CJ couldn't go with you Apple. Looks and sounds like a nice show. Great pictures. It does my heart good to see some flowers blooming!
    I like that first fountain, but glass? I'd be afraid it would get broken. It's probably some special kind that won't break (I would hope).
    I recognize Melinda Myers from my B&B magazine.
    We're getting snow too.

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  2. I'm sorry you couldn't have a fun girls outing. At least you still got to attend. I'm planning on going to the Indy one and actually looking forward to doing it alone. I went twice last year, once with my mom and once with a neighbor, I felt rushed both times.

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  3. Kerri,
    When I saw this my 1st thought was that the glass looked close to the size of a panel from a bus door! It's rare that we have to replace a panel but we did a couple of weeks ago. Drat! I'll tell the guys to save the next one for me :)

    Robin,
    The Syracuse show is so small that I can't imagine feeling rushed. The Rochester show is much larger so we'll see how that goes but CG and I usually have a good time when we can get away together. I hope you enjoy the Indy show!

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  4. Glad this year's show was better than last. Your garden looks about like ours does--we're currently being assailed by the storm of the week. March has come in like a howling barracuda in Nova Scotia.

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  5. OOOHHH! I wish I was there! Alas, though, I was needed at home. The Flu has hit and "Garden Girl" is running a high temp. Doc is worried about another seizure. I'm just plain worried...

    When is GardenScape? Maybe by then things will be "normal" and I could go. Really looking forward to a girls day out if we can co-ordinate our schedules.

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  6. Jodi,
    I hope the weather up your way has improved. We're between storms and it's wonderful to feel the sun!

    CJ,
    I hope your daughter's temperature comes down! It would have been more fun to go with you guys but she needed you home. GardenScape is the 15th & 16th. Maybe everyone will be better at your house by then. I dropped something in the mail to you today so hopefully you'll have it tomorrow :)

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  7. It's so windy here that I can't imagine using the glass water feature, but it would have been fun to walk around and look at everything - some times the least practical ideas make better viewing.

    Apple, the nicotiana/tobacco story was so interesting! I sure hope there were no residual effects from all that nicotine being absorbed through your skin.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  8. I like the water wheel. It gives me an idea for the stream I'm planning to build.

    Glad you got a chance to get out and see the show. It looks like we may be snowed in for the rest of the summer.

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  9. Wanted to say thanks for package you sent me! You are so great to have thought of my kids like that! And I know the strawflower seeds are because I was so green with envy when I saw yours last year. Thanks again for everything...including being such a great Gardening Friend. LOL.

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  10. Great shots, and I'm impressed that you got them up so soon. I still have yet to make my CNYBlooms blog post OR my GardenScape one - did you get there? maybe it's in the blog - I'll check - and Sunday, off to Buffalo for Plantasia. Some day I'll catch up. Thanks for stopping; it was great to meet you.

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