On the whole I was underwhelmed by the vendor area's offerings being so top-heavy in gardening tchotchkes and lightweight in interesting plants. I suppose the Internet is to blame as with so many of these issues...
I was more pleased and amused by the New Orleans theme exhibits than my companion who has truly been-there-done-that where flowers and plants were concerned. I thought the purple, green and gold glitter, props and Mardi Gras masks were entirely in keeping with a life-affirming springtime displays. No real knockouts there either -- acres of bromeliads, plenty of tulips, lots of flowering trees -- but I thought a few displays were fairly sophisticated in recreating a feel of New Orleans or bayou country, including Waldor Orchids.
One of the top honored displays hardly had any flowers in it, but the green material painstakingly arranged around a convincing wood shack and stone paving was delightful. Every bit of moss, every scrap and leaf, just belonged. Wonderful.
I quite liked the three gigantic abstract floral hangings. Taking pictures of them was quite a challenge. The only drawback to such displays is that they force you to look up into the spotlights and then the actual ceiling. Kind of breaks the "magic space" you enter with a show like this.
The horticultural entries are always my favorite flower show thing. Lots of beautiful orchids grown by Lois & Jim Duffin. Lots of gorgeous succulents by folks like Dr Gerald Barad. Meticulously groomed rock garden treasures, lush terrariums, monstrous ferns and clivias, the jewels of the plant world presented with loving care and attention. Sigh. My plants NEVER look that good.
Having last collected and studied succulents many years ago, I was thrilled to be reminded of how odd, sculptural and wonderful they can be. This Haworthia truncata "lime" belonging to Dr Barad was just breathtaking.
This link provides much better pictures of the variety than I took...
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