Philadelphia Flower Show 07

An Irish Spring (March 4-11), Philadelphia, PA                                                                                                        

I've never been able to figure out how each year's theme is selected, but whatever it is,  you'll find the show worth attending.  There's always something new to learn about plants, great plant combinations, or design ideas that you never would have come up with yourself.

An added plus this year is that the show's main exhibit is designed by Chris Woods, a true artist with plants.  Woods designed the exquisite gardens at Chanticleer in Wayne, PA, and is now the director of the Van Dusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.

You enter the show under a living wall of ivy, moss, and other greens in Celtic knot patterns -- then proceed to Ealain Wood, a towering, magical forest of trees, including lindens and smoke trees.  Next comes a sparkling, spiral Knot Garden, with a large fountain in the shape of a harp. Two additional fountains are inspired by Celtic manuscripts and covered with lavender and roses.  Finally, you come upon The Emerald Castle, surrounded by tiers of willow and linden trees, rhododendrons, persimmons, daffodils, fuschia, and more.

According to Chris Woods, the garden comprises a series of emotions:  "a sense of wonder, a sense of enchantment, a sense of seduction, and a sense of joy."

We're not trying to create a specific Irish garden," he said, "but establish a synopsis of Irish culture both traditional and contemporary.  We're essentially illustrating 400 years of Irish garden design and cultural vibrancy."

Woods said he hopes visitors will learn about the great range of plants that grow in the temperate and subtropical climates of Ireland, like fuschia and tree ferns.

The show also features an Irish dance show; a "Celebrate Ireland" Day on March 10th, devoted to lectures on Irish gardening and travel; and many other exhibits that pick up on this year's Irish theme.  Shamrocks, anyone?

Comments

[Kim]

You know... I think that the tourism board of Ireland must be doing a big push. They were involved somehow in giving away a trip and such at our show this year--which, coincidentally, featured Ireland. HMM.