Guest Post by Laura Schaub of the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

Flower and garden shows are magical events, especially when they occur in early spring. As a veteran of many shows and a past show-garden creator, I have advice that might make your next garden show even better. The pictures are from the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show archives.

(1) Dress for spring gardening, not a summer garden party. Jeans, comfortable shoes and several layers will keep you happier than a flowery frock and strappy sandals, especially if there are outdoor displays. Shows like San Francisco often cover several acres, and you’ll want to see every square inch.

(2) Bring a friend, someone who totally understands when you squeal  “oh my gosh, is that a [insert object of horticultural lust here]” and is willing to trudge the last weary mile with you.

(3) Bring a camera. There is an overwhelming amount to see at a garden show. Finding the most interesting and pleasing aspects of each garden to photograph can help you…focus! And don’t stop there: post your photos to Flickr and tag them with the name of the show for others to enjoy!

(4) Keep your hands free to take notes, snap pictures, and hug your friends; wear a backpack or a cross-body messenger bag. Lightweight rolling carts are very popular among the savviest show visitors (just mind people’s shins!)

(5) Try not to touch. Yes, this is hard, but please don’t use those free hands to touch everything you see. This gentlemen gets an A+ for proper attire, but considering that 50,000 people will be seeing this garden, that plant isn’t going to last long if everyone touches it (and don’t even get me started on picking!)

(6) Curb your children. PLEASE don’t let your children climb on display gardens! I was horrified to find several youngsters romping in mine while their parents watched and smiled. Please show respect for the artists and the work they have created, and encourage your children to do the same.

(7) Meet the garden creators. The poor dears are excited, proud and exhausted too. Let them know you appreciate their work! A tip: most garden creators publish a flyer that identifies the plants and materials they’ve used. Most plants will also be labeled. So instead of asking ‘what’s that tree?’ share your experience of the garden instead!

Pop Quiz: Appropriate clothing, check! Shoulder bag, check! Show buddy, check! Pointing instead of touching, check! This garden show visitor makes the grade (unless she’s pointing at her toddler amongst the bromeliads, in which case, FAIL!)

(8) Expect it to be busy. During peak hours (mornings and weekends) this is what you’ll see, patient lines strolling slowly through the displays. Not a bad way to take a first pass, but not very conducive to lingering. (Look how nicely everyone is keeping their hands to themselves, though!)

(9) Find the quiet times. In the afternoons and evenings things calm down. Take advantage of this time to take pictures WITHOUT people in them, chat at length with the garden creators, or just sit and soak it all in with a cup of coffee or glass of wine.

And then, there’s the shopping. Most garden shows have terrific Marketplaces full of plants, hard-to-find tools, original art, garden clothing, jewelry, culinary delicacies, and more plants!

From plumerias to pansies. Many garden show visitors look forward to seeing and buying from their favorite nurseries and garden suppliers each year; it’s part of the tradition.

Buying from the source. By purchasing directly from local growers, artisans and craftsmen, show visitors support their economy and the small businesses that make marketplaces like these unique, and increasingly rare.

What do you mean the car is full? There’s ALWAYS room for more plants!

(10) Enjoy and return! Many garden shows have excellent educational seminars and workshops for gardeners of all ages and levels of experience. Come back another day to see a different speaker or meet a favorite author. Revisit a garden you missed or pick up more plants. Become a part of a small, temporary community that is all about gardening; the experience can enrich your own gardening life for years to come.

About the Author

Laura Livengood Schaub is an award winning landscape designer, photographer and garden writer turned publicist for the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show (March 24-28, 2010). If you’d like to watch a garden show grow, find us on Facebook. If you want a front row box seat, follow Laura on Twitter.

Tags: garden shows, gardening, landscapes, Laura Schaub, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

This entry was posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 9:21 am and is filed under Garden, Shopping. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.