Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

I just returned from the Philadelphia Flower Show. Holy moly.

Let me tell you, this is no ordinary home and garden show. Nay, nay. This is a spectacle! It costs the fine folks of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society about $6.5 million to put on the show, although the estimated total expenditure by the show as well as the participants is three times that. The show covers a total of 10 acres in three areas: major exhibitions, competitive classes and horticultural schools and universities. There is also a large vendor area where you can shop till you drop.

Profits from the show go to benefit the Philadelphia Green program, which cleans up and beautifies outdoor spaces that have been derelict and unsightly. The program also sponsors a prisoner gardening program to raise vegetables for the homeless, neighborhood and community gardens and loads of education programs. Many cities could look to this program as a model of excellence with many side benefits.

This year’s theme was all about New Orleans and Jazz. The entrance was a recreation of the famed Bourbon Street, all decked out in flowers.

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The competitions are in areas for landscaping, floral design, florists, by-invitation and by individual plant species. Many local high schools and colleges participate in the program, as do some prisoner groups.

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In addition to the huge displays, there are also fabulous displays of smaller competitive areas: window boxes, container gardens, Ikebana, competitive impromptu arranging, stoop gardens, table settings…the list goes on and on. One of the most amazing areas was the miniatures–tiny little dioramas of natural and indoor scenes with real, live, miniature plants.

The Philadelphia Flower Show claims to be the biggest and best in the U.S. and is distinguished from the famed Chelsea Flower Show in London because the Philadelphia show is indoors. Chelsea is outdoors. That means that all the flowers, flowering shrubs, flowering trees–everything–had to be forced indoors. If you have ever tried to force a flower, imagine trying to force thousands, if not millions, of them. All at the same time. All on a particular day. And then arranging them in a small exhibition space to please the judges and the crowds.

And that, my friends, is why they call it a “show.”

(By the way, I arrived home just in time to unpack and pack again…off to Atlanta this time. I have about 1,000 photos to wade through, but will be posting them as soon as I return and recover. I also want to show you all the cool new stuff that I bought!)

Robin

Feb 21
2008

Gee, Thanks!

Kris at Blithewold recently passed along the E is for Excellent award to Bumblebee…

She said that she particularly appreciated the discussions of public gardens and parks and the encouragement given to go, enjoy, learn.

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Thanks, Kris, for the recognition! As you know, blogging is a labor of love, but it’s also sweet to get compliments–and comments from readers too.

Apparently I get to pass along the award now, so I want to recognize the quartet of writers at Gardening Gone Wild. Nan, Fran, Saxon and Steve have been doing an excellent job of writing substantive and thought-provoking posts. I particularly like their design series that encourages reader participation. It’s been some of the most interesting garden blog reading I’ve run across.

Thanks again, Kris. I hope to make it to Blithewold soon! So many gardens…so little time!

BTW, if I could figure out the HTML to get copy to wrap around an image, that big E wouldn’t be so darned big. All the HTML code I’ve tried doesn’t work. Grrrrr. I don’t win any awards on my clever use of HTML code.

Robin

Every place I visit seems to have its own unique “green” character.

In London, I was charmed by the profusion of creative window boxes around the town. In France, I was amazed at the enthusiasm of small towns to “green” their city streets compete for prizes. Here in the U.S., I adore walking around Charleston and glimpsing into tiny jewels of walled gardens. In Key West I was enchanted by the exotic, luscious, tropical plants growing with wild abandon in the yards of even the most humble cottages.

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One of the most charming cities with a unique garden appeal I have visited is Amsterdam. The city of 12,000 bridges and 160 canals is also home to about 2,400 houseboats that line the canals and waterways around the Netherlands’s capital. Houseboat living became popular in the 1950s during a shortage of affordable housing. As boat owners upgraded their old and dated barges for larger and more modern vessels, ingenious and thrifty folks bought the barges and converted them into floating homes.amsterdam-houseboat-5.jpg

Despite the fact that they traded in earth for water, many of the houseboat dwellers still have gardens. Visitors to the city can tour the canals in well-narrated tours. But the narrative is just noise when you start snapping photos of all the picturesque waterways and the homes.

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Not a few of the houseboat dwellers had converted portions of their decks into tiny but traditional gardens by carting in loads of dirt to create a replacement allotment. Most, however, were container gardens. Beautification of their aging vessels seemed to be important to many, as containers of geraniums, daisies and, of course, tulips were abundant.

Many of the houseboat dwellers had productive pots of tomatoes and herbs. Some of the canal dwellers just seemed to be giving their houseplants a good airing.

Amsterdam is a wonderful and inviting walking city. The streetscapes are safe, clean and lined with interesting plants. But the canals are what draw the eye and the imagination.

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For me, it was a lesson in “make blooms where you are planted.” Regardless of how humble your abode or challenging your growing circumstances, create a bit of beauty to brighten your day and the day of those who see your home.

I certainly wish more of our American suburbs and small towns would take the lessons of our European cousins. A bit of greenery and flowers is not just beautifying. It sends the message that someone cares about the place where they go at night and raise their families.

Robin

Right Now at Bumblebee

July 24th, 2010

It was nearly 100 degrees while I was working outside today. I have a sliver of wood in my big toe, poison ivy and am covered in bug bites. Sometimes I think I need an easier hobby.

Robin

June 24th, 2010

Holy moly, it’s hot. I was just outside providing drought assistance to the suffering greenery. Now excuse me while I cower here in the air conditioning for a bit before making dinner.

It has been such a busy work week. I have been chained to the desk. I can’t wait until the weekend. I have tomatoes to stake, flowers to plant, garlic to harvest, strawberries to keep in control, some clipping and pruning and, who can forget, weeding!

My friend Helen Yoest, from Gardening With Confidence, will be here in about 10 days. I plan to pick her brain and get advice about some real problem areas here. I was hoping for more time to prepare for an esteemed guest, but that’s just not to be. She’ll have to take me as I am.

I hope you’re all keeping cool.

Robin

June 17th, 2010

You can’t pick up the newspaper or turn on the television without hearing more about the Gulf Coast oil disaster.

The wildlife population will be devastated for years, perhaps decades, to come. You can help with the conservation, monitoring and aid to the birds by donating to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This is the top school and science center for birds in the U.S. and sponsor of many, many programs, including citizen scientist-type programs. If you cannot afford to donate, it’s a great place to just be informed or to get involved through volunteer activities you can do in your own back yard.

Robin

May 26th, 2010

Tonight I am grateful for the internets.

Over dinner we were talking about blast-from-the-past music and then blast-from-the-past comedy. Harry and I explained how we would play stacks of 45s on the turntable to my 19-year-old son. And I remembered my parents’ Dick Newhart album and “Driving Instructor.”  And while we were talking about old comedy, who can forget, George Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words?” Ah, the things I am teaching my 19-year-old son! Yes, I taught him about seven dirty words!

I am also grateful that the chickens had walkabout time without destroying my garden this afternoon.

And I am grateful for that arms and shoulders P90X workout, although I will be sore again tomorrow.

Live the dream,

Robin

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