No insider here, but I did go last year for the first time, and know where it is this year. The place this year is ALOT bigger (if anyone has been to the EX, it's where the international vendors are by the super dog show). To my knowledge, everything (or mostly everything) will be on one floor, which would make things a lot easier, especially if you're taking someone with a disability, you don't have all the escalators to mess with. I have no clue about the PR change, though I have been getting emails from them every now and then. The greenhouse manager was telling me that he was going to be help with the displays, and he's growing some of the new intros to show. I haven't gotten any details, but I'll let you know if I do.

Us "oldies" remember all the years it was held at the Exhib. grounds with easy (but expensive) parking etc. I, for one, am happy to see it going back there. I only went one year when it was at the convention centre, and found it difficult to park, having to take a shuttle bus, as well as confusing lay-out.

I was chatting with the greenhouse prof today and he mentioned that the first time he went to the convention center, 'going down to the exhibition floor was like descending into hell but with flowers along the side to see' lol

I don't recall the show at the ex grounds at all. Didn't it begin as the Toronto Flower and Garden Show which was held in the Metro Convention Centre in the early 90s. That was such a spectacular year and same with teh following year. I was wowed by the entrance which was none of that uber modern designs they've been foisting on us in recent years. Most of these modern designs seem to NOT resonate on the general public. At least if they need to introduce such designs, balance it out with conventional gardening. They produced flowers like delphiniums in that time of the year. There were huge koi ponds, an excellent Japanese garden complete with bamboo fencing. Excellent selection of merchants, great number of plant suppliers from provinces beyond Ontario. I recall seeing a vendor selling giant brugs for the patio and so many interesting things. Patrick Studio was still around, Richter Herbs, another selling topiaries, cast stonecrafts, etc.....

What other favoured vendors/designers are you missing.. Can anyone recall? What were your favorites back then?

Wasn't the first one held at the Congress Centre? Or am I mixing it up with another garden show.

I reduced the frequency in which I attended because I wasn't getting much out of it.

This year, we are going to give it a try again. Glad I saw the post on the change of location. I remeber the guy selling the brugs. I think he only had one large display brug and lots of smaller ones.

My favourite vendor is Loblaws. They always brought neat plants and had great garden trinkets at good prices.

It seems to me that most of the other vendors just brought a portion of their store and didn't offer any deals.

One year, Humber had some great minature hostas at okay prices; I really liked them.

Guess I'll have to look athe Canada Blooms website.

:)))

I haven't gone in a couple of years. I found it crowded, not easy to get around and nothing much of interest - too early to buy plants and didn't find anything else that appealed. Maybe I'll give it another try this year....

When I used to go (many years ago) it was held at the exhib. grounds, I believe in the Automotive Bldg. It was run by the Toronto Garden Club as you mentioned, Ianna. At that time it was extremely popular but a great deal of work was needed to organize everything. That's when it went more commercial, as the (mostly older) members of the Garden Club found it to be just too much work for them to run all by themselves. Also, at that time it was mainly flowers and landscape exhibits. I don't see any need to get all these commercial non-garden exhibits involved. To me, they just ruin the whole thing. That's why I quit going. The money I spent attending Canada Blooms was better spent on buying new plants, bulbs, etc., for my garden. Since it is returning to its "old stomping grounds" at the Ex., I am seriously thinking of going this year. I wonder if it still going to just as "commercial" as it has been in recent years at the Convention Centre?