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New England Spring Flower Show
Opens Saturday, March 17, 2007
by Hilda M. Morrill
 It will be here before we know it. We refer to the 2007 “New England Spring Flower Show.”
For several days prior to opening to the public on Saturday, March 17, the
miracle that is the Flower Show begins to take place at the Bayside Exposition Center in Boston.
Trucks and vans loaded with precious cargo begin to arrive along with hundreds of workers and volunteers who have been planning and plotting for months on end.
 Tons of mulch, huge boulders,
pavers, gravel, blocks, construction materials, moving equipment and tools—not to mention the carefully wrapped, full-size trees, shrubs, and thousands of plants and flowers that will transform the huge empty space into a veritable Eden with every imaginable type of garden possible—all somehow end up in the right place.
In years past, huge waterfalls and rain forests—complete with lightning and loud claps of thunder—have magically appeared overnight. There’s even been a castle or two, full-size bridges, and gracious Boston brownstone facades, not to mention incredible hand-painted backdrops that transported visitors to venues all over the world.
 And let’s not forget the fauna—all the fish and birds, plus the chickens, pigs, goats, swans, peacocks, sheep and donkeys, just to mention just a few, that have graced some of the exhibits through the years.
And, we’re not even going to delve into all the different goodies and services that will be available at the adjacent Marketplace—from seeds, bulbs and plants to books, apple pies and stress reducing neck massages.
 The fact is that one could go to the Bayside Expo every single day during setup and during the duration of the Show and see something new that had never been noticed before.
If you can only go once, and the budget permits, the Preview Party and Gala Dinner is the ideal. The black-tie optional event takes place on Friday evening, March 16, literally just hours after the finishing touches have been applied.
This year a dramatic 6,000 square-foot seascape, a “Seaside Garden Party,” will take center stage and draw visitors through rustic, windswept sand dunes exhibiting the hardy plants that thrive there. The seashore sights will then roll into a festive and whimsical setting – a staged private party held in an imaginary host’s lush, seaside garden.
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society enlisted the award-winning creative team of Falmouth, MA-based landscape designer Paul Miskovsky and New Bedford nurseryman David Haskell, son of renowned plantsman Allen C. Haskell, to design and build this magical garden.
Twenty-four of New England’s top interior designers have paired with members of the American Institute of Floral Design and garden clubs to create 24 unique and imaginative tabletops that will depict the Seaside Garden Party theme. Several of the tables will be set beneath canopies. Visitors will almost be able to feel the spray of the ocean as they stroll the boardwalk, cutting a path through the garden party where they will enjoy party tables in this fanciful setting.
At the Preview Party, the exclusively designed tables will be on view during the cocktail hour and will later become the setting of a fundraising Gala Dinner.
A reverse auction will be conducted by Stuart Whitehurst, Vice President, Skinner Antiques. A special gift will be presented to one bidder at each bid level. The Dinner’s exciting program will be emceed by Candy
O’Terry, the on-air creator and co-host of Magic 106.7’s “Exceptional Women” program. After the Gala Dinner, the tables will be refreshed and kept on display for the public to enjoy during the nine-day run of the Show—through Sunday, the 25th.
This year’s Preview Party will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and strolling musicians. Dancing “garden sprites” will greet guests as they make their way through the Show floor. It will also include several new elements, including a signature cocktail – the Beach Plum Blossom – derived from the Beach Plum, a plant featured in the exhibit.
Mixologists from Boston’s 28 Degrees created and will debut this special cocktail at the Preview Party. There will also be a raffle for a custom-designed, seaside-themed necklace, valued at $5,000 and provided by DePrisco Jewelers of Wellesley, MA.
Additionally, each Preview Party ticket holder will be automatically entered to win one of four gift baskets from Flora, the garden-inspired gift shop launched by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in September 2006. The shop will be open during the Preview Party.
Over the course of the evening, ten of the landscape designers whose exhibits are featured at the Show will be stationed in their exhibits so guests can ask questions and learn about their designs one-on-one.
Massachusetts Horticultural Society members receive a $25 discount on their Preview Party ticket. Valet parking is available and is complimentary for Premier ticket holders and all Gala Dinner ticket holders. Premier ticket holders receive a private tour of the Show with Executive Director Thomas
Herrera-Mishler or Flower Show Director Carolyn Weston, during the run of the Show.
If not able to attend the Preview Party, the next best thing is to enjoy the Show during the private MassHort member hours. If you’re not a member yet, why not join and reap the benefits!
Of course, there’s the excitement of visiting the Show during the hours that it’s open to the public, too, because of all the demonstrations, special events and lectures that are scheduled. Even yours truly is honored to have been invited back to give a presentation on March 22 at 3:30 p.m. (We plan on remaining to enjoy that evening’s special event, “Girls Night Out.”) And, don’t forget that some of the exhibits, such as the spectacular floral arrangements depicting a particular theme, are completely changed twice during the Show.
So, don’t miss it! For more information about the 136th New England Spring Flower Show, including admission prices, the Preview Party or membership in the MassHort Society, be sure to visit
www.masshort.org or call 617-933-4923.
Enjoy!
(Note: The accompanying images were taken by Michael Morrill during setup at the 2006 Flower Show.)
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