Philadelphia Flowers

A biting wind propelled us from the entrance of Longwood Gardens to the Conservatory. We were visiting here as an early icing for next day's cake to be, the Philadelphia Flower Show. Two birds with one stone (apologies to birders). It was a well worth extra. Although this past winter seemed to be a harbinger of global warming, the vast display of green growth and flowering plants inside was a welcome change from the still dormant outdoors. I immediately wanted to package the East Conservatory and take it home with me. I felt the same way with every other wing. One plant that I had not seen before was a blue Poppy. It is obviously not rare but I was impressed. Another blue beauty that caught my eye was a Cineraria. Down south Camellias bloom in the winter. Where I live they freeze. At Longwood Camellias flourished. 

I used to grow dwarf banana plants, ....... indoors. The ones at Longwood were towering, with one bearing bananas. When visiting conservatories I always check their gift shops hoping to again find banana seeds for sale. So far I have been without luck. Even the Philadelphia Flower Show was devoid of their seeds for sale.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is second only to the Floriade. For that one you must wait for ten years between shows and then go to the Netherlands to see it. Philadelphia is very much closer to my home and puts on its display every year. That must be why I have visited the Floriade but this was my first trip to the Philadelphia show. The current year is a Floriade one and you have until 20 October to take advantage of it.

The show at the Philadelphia Convention Center was mobbed. It seemed as if every gardener on the eastern seaboard was present. With reason. Displays ranged from prize winning Orchids to complete landscapes. I marveled at how people were able to force even large flowering trees into bloom for the show. Perhaps it was really not so difficult. My two flowering plums were in partial flower way back in January. Did I remark on what a strange winter we have had? Some of my Winter Aconite was also in flower in January instead of being smothered and dormant under the snow. Now, in mid March, they are in full bloom. We usually still have feet of snow covering everything at

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