5 reasons to make the trek to Seattle for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show
The second week of February is when spring really begins, with the annual floral extravaganza that is the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle. This year it runs Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 14-18, at the Seattle Convention Center, 705 Pike St., with a heartfelt theme of “I (heart) Spring.”
5 reasons to go to the NWFG show
1. Winter got you dragging? Come see the floral dragon. This year the Northwest Orchid Society will craft a giant dragon protecting golden orchids/eggs and surrounded by a blooming jungle of exotic orchids. Now if that doesn’t breathe some fire into your winter doldrums, nothing will.
2. Your garden going to pot? Celebrate planting in pots. Every day I will be hosting Container Wars, a live reality show competition with two experts given 30 minutes and a plethora of plants to design a winning container garden design. The audience picks the winners. As MC of this event, I get to give away lots of prizes to the audience, so come early and get a good seat.
3. Bored with your planting palette? Get on board with the latest plant varieties. You’ll find hydrangeas with black foliage, dahlias with chocolate brown leaves and the latest and greatest seeds to grow unusual and highly nutritious vegetables and herbs. And you can buy them and take them home.
4. Your sanity in jeopardy? Come be entertained by “Garden Jeopardy.” Ciscoe Morris is the host for this live game show on opening day. I will be one of the contestants competing for a worthless but worthwhile trophy. Expect goofiness and a surprise celebrity guest.
5. Need dirt cheap education and entertainment? This year the show offers some free educational seminars in the Seattle Convention Center lobby so you don’t have to buy a ticket to the show.
Tip: To save money on your show ticket, go online for discounted tickets at www.gardenshow.com
You can meet me at the show all five days. I will be hosting “Container Wars” every day at 11 a.m. on the main stage, and will appear on Wednesday, opening day, at 4:30 p.m. with Ciscoe Morris for Garden Jeopardy on the seminar stage.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.