Ouch! Just returned from the opening day of that
"other" flower show I was raving about. . .

Sad to report, Springfest has finally gone the route of most of the other "alleged" Flower Shows, i.e., it's very little about flowers and/or gardening this year, and more about every conceivable thing related to gardening,
meaning: tools, crafts, gizmos, patios, furniture, wine, you name it!

Yes, there are a few plants for sale, and some educational displays, but only the one major garden display, smack dab in front of you as you enter the space, and even that is fairly simplistic. You'll be hard
pressed to find any plant labeled, and asking rarely helps - the plants are mere decoration for these folks!

Now, let me back off a second: the food tent is still quite good, way better than you'd expect (we tried their root vegetable soup today and it was grand!). . .on a cold, blustery, winter day like today, it was still quite pleasant to be warm, under glass, with the sun streaming in. . .
unfortunately missing this year (for the first time) was our favorite summer bulb concession and several actual nurseries that had interesting small displays, and knowledgeable people. . .also gone was our
special amaryllus lady, with her enviable collection. So, it could still be a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. . .but a flower show that will challenge and
stimulate you - NOT!

After the Philadelphia Flower Show last week - which is
STILL pretty amazing, but slowly, inevitably, shifting it's
focus away from actual gardening - I had great hopes
that little Springfest was going to hold it's own. . .but, no.
like it's agricultural cousin, the grand old State (or County) Fair - held at the same fairgrounds! - this once
proud little "flower" show has become a mere shadow of
it's former self. While I understand (and try to embrace)
change, the loss of these traditional "fairs" and"flower shows" seems to leave life a little hollow.

Thought it only fair to give you all a head's up. . .or you might seriously question my taste in "flower shows" and never want to hear from me again!

Carl