i got to admit that i was pretty unimpressed by the show this year.

Oh Please say you heard wrong. I love the Maine flower show. Including this years. It was an adjustment to move from the building where it was located before, but the new location was easier parking and much easier to walk around for my mother.
I always "talk" up the Maine show, great way to survive the winter. I can't tell you how many people I tell go to Maine.
Some years I have gone to as many as 5 different shows in the New England area.
I live in the Bershires and I have my husband hooked on flower shows and enjoying Maine in the off season. We both have learned so much from the lectures. Donna

Thats corect PPP lost alot of money this year and they won't be sponsering the flower show.Some one else might but right now theres no takers.

I go to as many flower shows as I can. That's too bad about Portland, but in 2003 I did hear him say on TV he might have to consider moving the Portland one to Lewiston and that Portland people won't come to Lewiston. I thought that was snotty and I told him so in an email. He denied even saying it. Too bad the University can't afford it. I think the Master Gardeners would put on a whiz-bang event! One good thing is, maybe more towns will have open-garden days so we can go peek in our neighbor's flowerbeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: my online garden show pics

It was a mistake to move to Scarborough Downs. High costs and they touted lots of room, but the year before last they were turning cars away, which turned a lot of people off. Personally I won't drive from Portland to Lewiston either if they hold it there, it's a lack of time not snottiness...

I had gone last year when it was in Scarborough in the big "tent" and it was so incredibly crowded I had decided that I would not go this year and I went to the one in Bangor instead. Though smaller, I really like the Bangor one. I also heard that the PPP guy made it very difficult for the people doing the displays to make the displays this year as it was supposed to be summer flowers, not spring flowers and that involved more time and expense. So he didn't want things like lots of tulips. Some people just chose not to do displays. People tried to tell him the way he was going about things was wrong. Perhaps he now agrees with them.

Joanie D (Strong ME)

I drove 3+ hours to Scarborough the first year and was terribly disappointed. It was too crowded, we walked through puddles and walked a half mile because of inadequate parking. Poor planning.

Joanie, I like Bangor too. It's small but the displays are well done.

We did the same as the year before, which is drive to the Public Market and then use the shuttle. That way if they are turning people away, you find out while still downtown. I'm going to assume there's no money to put it on ANYWHERE next year, not just that they refuse to do it in Lewiston. I can't believe Tukey would think people hate us that much. Boston anyone?

I enjoy the Boston flower show, it is a bit over crowded and its best to stand on someones shoulders or crawl between peoples legs...but if you are lucky to be pushed and squashed to the front the exhibits are worth the trouble.

Lets face it, Maine cant really compete well with the big leagues. Its difficult with our short days to force blooms from dormancy as the weather can be so unpredictable, that blooms have to be calculated starting in November sometimes for anything other than Spring flowers. Its a big headache...and to find them from down south is another big expense, becasue shipped in flowers only make the show and later on if a grower has the same plants which have flushed out and are more difficult to sell back at his nursery (once the blooms have passed and the plant is confused with the climate from being forced). And just ditto what the MaineFlowerGirl says.

Bangor is a weak version of the big league shows, but to be expected.

Wish there were some nice shows in the Bar Harbor Area ( that would be closer to me!)

There will be other shows...we need our shows here in Maine. I think a spring show is very appropriate, and it should be named "Celebrating Spring In Maine". And we can drown the place with tulips and dafs!!! People would come thinking it was Holland!
Just kidding around, but it would be nice to see...

For garden shows, all the plants are done in greenhouses at least a year ahead in order to force bloom at exactly the right moment. So that can be done in any region, but it is very expensive. The nurseries have to make a serious decision as to whether it is worth all those man-hours and all that expense, for what kind of return they will get on that investment. They need the crowds to get the percentage that will yield them a certain number of landscaping customers, but then when we Mainers hear about crowds, we stay away. Steve usually comes with me to Portland but I go to Boston alone because it's much easier to get to the front of a display without blocking someone else, when you're only one person.

It can be done in any region, but Maine has severe weather and the costs to heat and keep light on the plants is much more expensive than say in South Carolina where maybe costs for heat and additional light is not as taxing on the grower.

I agree with you on the crowd issues, we are spoiled here in Maine when it comes to having our space and room.

I was just thinking that we will have more shows in Maine, well because at some point we will need the celebration and display for our own mental health and good spirits!
I believe that something great is in the works for Maine in the future...why we have so many talented growers who live this kind of life too endearingly not to have a large public celebration of flowers and landscaping possibilities.

I do hope someone or some company will take up the challenge and fill in where others find it difficult to do. I agree, come Spring time I'm looking for a splash of greenery and color. I have been to the Boston shows, and they are very good. I enjoy them but just prefer to travel here in Maine more. I'll keep my fingers crossed for another Maine Flower show next year. NancyLouise

Thank you to all of you who attended the flower show at Scarborough the past two years. I love the flower show; it has become my favorite time of year. My company simply lost too much money at the Scarborough site because of the portable structure involved.

If someone can find a suitable site and come up with the extraordinary amount of money needed to fund the show, I will support it wholeheartedly. I also pine for a day when we have a convention center that can meet the needs of the attendees. Then we'll truly be able to showcase the national caliber landscapers and nurseries that we have in Maine!

Thanks for checking in, Paul! We do appreciate all the hard work that has gone into organizing the even the past two years. I also think S. Maine is in need of a convention center.

One thing is for sure Paul, regardless of the fact that we will never agree on the Lewiston issue, I have never come across anyone quite so responsive and hands-on involved as you and Mike McGrath. Never have I contacted you guys but that I didn't get a response that was fast, patient and accurate. I didn't care a whit about gardening til the 1999 Portland flower show, when I was assigned at the last minute to anchor the live broadcast for WLAM. I was hooked the second I walked in - the warm moist air caused by all that plant material and the sunlamps; the enthusiasm and creativity of the exhibitors; and of course Roger Swain, walking thru and stopping to talk to everyone. It took another few years before I was able to get my own garden, but I credit you guys with giving me the fever.

My question is...are gardengardengardenga and plantseditor the same person?????

Hi and welcome Margaret05, I have yet to meet plantseditor, although they sound extremely knowlegable about the subject and interesting to meet.

I am planning to have a swap meet at my home or local school in Feb and March of 2005- see conversation side.
This is not even in the same caliber of events, but none the less it will be fun because I am determined to make it fun!

As for the Maine flower show, We could hold it in various hotels in the Bar Harbor Area and have it bused from one hotel to another close enough to walk...but I sense this would take years ahead to set up check for reservations of space and with my 2 little children I am in no postion to act in these current years for such an event or to organize....how ever give me 5 years and I will be better suited for the job, hopefully in the interm we find resolution for our needs to have a Maine Garden Show and the people to create this much looked forward event.
Cheers -
Garden X 4

opps I got confused! There will be a Maine garden Show this year!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Maine garden Show

As I was doing a search for Flower Shows in New England, I somehow came across this thread. I was so disappointed that there wouldn't be a Maine Show but one thing lead to another and I found a thread that said there WAS going to be a show. It didn't come up on any searches so IF indeed there IS going to be one......they better start advertising.

I loved the southern Maine show best when it was held in the Industrial Park in Scarborough years ago. There were adequate facilities and parking at that time. It is too bad that site is unavailable.
I appreciated the hard work that has been done to continue the southern Maine show over the years. Thank you Paul! It gave me lots of ideas and increased my visits to local nurseries! I was spoiled having these shows so close by.
There was a show in Portland this year. I heard it wasn't well attended due to the bad snowstorms that weekend. I was already in Portland when it started snowing hard, so I turned back.
Bangor is a long drive from Portland, but I find well-worth the trip from southern Maine. That show is held in April so the weather may be better, too. There's adequate parking, beautiful displays, well-lit, many vendors, displays from local children, too! I love seeing the seeds sprouting in the kid displays! Wish we'd done that when I was in school! I never have found the Bangor show over-crowded. I do business with some of the nurseries, too, as some do mail order. It feels more like a "Maine" show.

did I miss the Maine flower show this Year?

Yes you did ;(

darn