I loved Gardenscape last year, I've never been to Plantasia. Gardenscape was well worth the drive to us, around 2 hours. It was great.

I went to both last year and got my much needed dose of gardening in the last days of winter. I slightly preferred Gardenscape's displays, but Plantasia also had some great ones. Gardenscape was a little more crowded and thus I sometimes felt hurried along, not so at Plantasia. Also I found the exhibitors at Plantasia very willing to talk about anything, and I got some very useful specific information. I talked to a couple of vendors in depth on different patio materials, and also quizzed several vendors on preferred shade trees and why. They were all willing to talk about anything, not just what they had on exhibit. The vendors in Rochester seemed to be a little too busy to really spend a lot of time with one person, which they were, because there was a bigger crowd there.

Anyone else have an opinion? I just went to Gardenscape and was disappointed in the vendors. Is the extra drive worth going to Plantasia, in your opinion? Their website is not as good as Gardenscape's so I'm not sure if driving 3-1/2 hours will be worth it.

Why were you disappointed in the vendors? What are you looking for? Depends what you are looking for whether or not you will be happy.

I don't think Plantasia will be significantly different from Gardenscape, if you weren't happy at gs, you will probably be similarly disappointed at plantasia.

Since I had never been to GS before or any other Garden show before, I was probably building it up to be something it wasn't. It was a nice show, don't get me wrong. These people put a tremendous amount of work into the show and it was good to see Spring for a while. I was just expecting more of a wow factor...I was hoping to see more things I hadn't seen before...more different types of plants in each display...more attention to detail. As far as the vendors go, same thing...looking for something different, that got my attention, more plants to buy, though this may be unreasonable considering the time of year this was held. Maybe I was more disappointed because I had to drive 2 hours and pay $12 a person for a show that I could have walked thru in 2 hours. I don't know. They show you things on TV that are so spectacular and sometimes you forget that it may not be achieved in our climate. I will probably attend the show again, but I will make sure that I attend more than one seminar to feel like I got my moneys worth.

I didn't go to Gardenscape but I did go check out Plantasia's web site for this years show. It appears that they are having problems procurrig vendors as they have a notice on their exhibitor page that they still are in need of vendors. I sent them Rich Dufresne's information and they told me they would love to have him come and give one of his seminars but they didn't think they could afford him as they have a very low budget...now isn't that tipical! Buffalo should be able to put on a show as good as the Philly show or close to it but like everything else around here there is no money to support it and then they wonder why people go outside the state for what they want and need.

Other states I have lived in have had awsome lawn and garden shows in towns 1/4 the size of Buffalo or in countyies not nearly as populated as Erie.

Penny

I loved gardenscape and didnt like plantasia. In the latter it seemed like all there were were expensive fountains and special effects and primroses. I want to see plants, not expensive statues and ponds that I will never be able to afford. In Gardenscape the plants were still limited, of course, by the conditons of indoors and early spring, but the emphasis seemed more on the plants. There were rules at Gardenscape on how much of the display had to be live plants. If there was a similiar rule at Plantasia it was not evident from the browser side IMO.

I went on sunday and attended the native plant seminars. The speaker appeared to really care about the subject and I was able to learn things I did not know. When he did not know the answer to a question he said so. There was information that would help a beginner with some more detailed or less "common knowledge" that advanced gardenrs could learn from.

Conversely the seminars I attended at Plantasia were beginner level only and when I asked more advanced questions the speakers were clearly trying to not show they didnt know the answer.

This is how the shows on the days I went to and seminars I attended were for me. Of course that was not all days or all seminars and so no doubt at least the latter could be very different with different speakers or subjects. Or certainly people with different tastes may feel the opposite or see what I did not see.

PAX
Laurette

Ok, this is the weekend for Plantasia in Buffalo. Anyone going to check it out?

I'm going tomorrow. I'm very excited. We are also supposed to check out some local greenhouses! I can't wait!!!

I went to Plantasia yesterday (Saturday). I thought it was much better than last year. There were more plant vendors selling plants and not quite as much of the other commercial stuff such as window replacement, bar-b q grills,etc. The landscape displays were very nice and Menne's had the best garden display. I still would have liked to see more things that could be planted now for sale besided bulbs such as azaleas, shrubs and native plants but I am glad that we decided to go. I almost changed my mind at the last minute.

Penny

I also went to Plantasia yesterday--almost didn't brave the snow and sleet. I agree it seemed bigger all around this year. It's still a small scale show, but I think it's important for us (locals, at least!) to support it with our attendance if we want to see it continue. I think they must have had more nurseries participating. The garden displays seemed more numerous and bigger than in the past, more ambitious, and yesterday most things were fresh looking and just at their peak. It must not be easy to force things to bloom just on the right day! If you are thinking of going today, I would recommend it.
Some of the vendors don't add much, but some are interesting and a little different. They also have nonprofits giving out info.
I got there in time for the seminar by Ken Brown, What every gardener should know and many don't. Very basic, but he always has good advice, and his slides were fun.
Oddly enough, my favorite part is the standard flower show put on by the area federation of garden clubs (?) It's just inside the exit, as you are leaving, and I think many people miss it, or just aren't interested. But I love to see the entries, which ones won the ribbons, and read the judges' comments on the cards. They do a very nice job, and again, this is a lot of work for those who participate.
Kathe in Amherst

Kathe,
I agree that it needs to be supported especially if it is to grow and become better each year. Ken Brown's presentation was very good. I am glad that we went yesterday instead of waiting until today.

Penny

Braved the storm and went on Sunday, thought it was a pretty good show think most of the vendors are a bit overpriced but it was fun looking.

I went on Saturday, it was well worth the drive out.We enjoyed it more than Gardenscape, but will go to both again next year. The weather was great on the ride out until we got to Batavia. We had a great time out there at Plantasia and then we went to Lockwoods Greenhouse and Menne Greenhouses. We also went to the Buffalo Botanical Gardens, that was AWESOME! We were totally impressed with all the plants in there, how big the american agave was and the bananas. Loved it :)
We also bought a bunch of plants from the greenhouses and the show. Ended up with an orchid cactus, banana, bays, primroses, lipstick plant, goldfish plant, candycorn plant, lilies and a neat little ceramic schoolbus planter, lol. If I'd had more money I'd have come home with a lot more!

Lenor,
I also got a candy corn plant. I just repotted mine yesterday and hope to get some good vining growth on it by summer. This will be another plant I will have to bring inside for the winter. Did you get your orchid cactus from Menne's? They are the only nursery that I have found that carries that plant around here. I had a huge one when I lived in Mississippi but gave it away. Now I am starting a new one.

Penny

Yes, I got it from Menne. its so pretty! I'm hoping to go out to Buffalo again soon and if we do I'm going to Menne and Lockwoods again.
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GO BUFFALO !!!!! WOOOOOO!!!!