Gardening with Jennifer 2012 NW Flower & Garden Show: A Floral Symphony

Photo by Loren Alexanian

By Jennifer Rotermund

Whether you prefer the graceful pace of classical music or if modern rock is the way you roll, this year’s Northwest Flower and Garden Show’s “Floral Symphony” theme has something for you. 

Photo by Loren Alexanian

Although the show gardens seem to cover all possible settings, urban to rural, ornamental to edible, international to native northwest, big budget glamorous to cost-effective sustainable, they’ve all turned up the volume on that singularly intoxicating hallmark experience we northwest gardeners appreciate at our February Flower and Garden Show -- Spring flowers! 

Photo by Loren Alexanian

As you take them all in, you may find your pace to be more andante than allegro. Of course, if your cravings lean more toward the hands-on portion of the multi-sensory orchestral experience that is this year’s show, don’t forget that there are booths and classrooms in all directions selling more garden tools, books, accessories or art and teaching more classes on every aspect of gardening than you can image ever existed. Not to be outdone, this year’s Northwest Flower and Garden Show is a true lollapalooza performance.

Photo by Loren Alexanian

Show hours are Wednesday through Saturday (Feb. 8 -11), 9am to 8pm; Sunday (Feb. 12), 9am to 6pm.

More information on the display gardens, seminar offerings, exhibitors and attractions for the entire family. Founded in 1989, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show is produced by Northwest-based, family owned O'Loughlin Trade Shows.

Jennifer Rotermund is the owner of Gaiaceous Gardens, an urban farming and wildlife gardening business with a teaching garden/urban farm and certified wildlife habitat/ sanctuary located in Shoreline. She is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Habitat Steward and is a Docent with the Kruckeberg Garden.