Passion---this year's theme at the flower show

No, friends, you haven’t stumbled onto the cover of a new romance novel, although the guy in this picture does look a lot like Fabio.  This is a poster on display at the flower show, and as you can see, there’s a cut-out where the woman’s face should be.  It’s there so that you can stand behind the poster and look out, while someone on the other side makes your picture.  Voila—you’re the star of a steamy scene.

And while you’re picturing yourself with this Fabio wanna-be, picture yourself here at the flower show, too.  I’ve been here most of the day, and I’m having a blast.

I’d like to extend sincere thanks to some friends who came by to see me as I signed books today at the Eagle Eye Bookstore inside the show:  Monteen, Cathy, Carolyn, Brenda, and Jeff (it was a pleasure to meet you at last).  How fun to see you all, and to see you all enjoying the fabulous flowers and landscapes.

The Eagle Eye booksellers are outstanding, too.  Whatever you are looking for, whether it’s a glossy coffee table book, an herbal handbook, a field guide for birders, or a reference book, Doug Robinson and his knowledgeable staff can steer you to it.  Don’t forget that many fine authors will be signing at the show on Sunday, so check them out.

Kids will also find plenty to do tomorrow, Feb. 1.  At 12:30 P.M., Louise Estabrook comes onboard to tell them about the wonders of worms–and worms are wonderful, when it comes to improving the soil.

At 1:30 P.M. and again at 2:30, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeepers will lead an “Enviroscape” activity for the small fry, to show them where water comes from, how it gets to our homes, and where it goes after it leaves our houses.

At 2 P.M., the Imaginators take the stage to perform “Georgia Grown,” a mini-musical.

Don’t miss children’s author Joyce Revoir at 3 P.M., as she spins stories for kids and helps them make a craft.

The show closes at 4 on Sunday.  But don’t worry–you still have an entire day to take it all in.

For today, I’ll leave you with a few more pictures I snapped:

Don't miss the designs created by Dutch floral arranger Els Teunissen

an Eco-Brite display showing how to collect rainwater run-off from your roof in a storage barrel

hydrangeas in a landscape setting

More to come!  Check back here on Sunday!

Lynn

the garden in summer

Whether you want to grow a single perfect blossom or learn how to raise fresh veggies and herbs for your table, the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show has something to teach you, something to show you, and something to inspire you.

The beautiful image you see above is an entry from the “Passion in Bloom” interpretive design category, featuring “The Mother Earth  Four Seasons Statue.”  Now take a look below to see how the same statue was accessorized with different fruits and flowers to symbolize spring:

Another entry in the "Mother Earth" intrepretive design category

Aren’t they beautiful?   But let’s say you’re a gardener who prefers simplicity and perfection.  The show has exhibits to suit your taste, too, like this outstanding camellia blossom, submitted by a gardener from the North Georgia Camellia Society:

'Dixie Knight Supreme' camellia, entered by John Newsome of Atlanta

I was enchanted by the tiny fantasy gardens in the “Heart of the Garden” Class G17, Miniature Garden category.   Here’s one of my favorites, a “Cupid’s Eye View” created by Mary Braswell of Stone Mountain, Georgia.   Mary designed her small garden with dwarf Alberta spruces, boxwoods, miniature thyme, agaves, and, of course, a sprightly “Cupid” to overlook the romantic cottage:

"Cupid's Wild Passion," 3rd place winner in the Miniature Garden category

I lingered awhile to talk with landscaper Ed Castro about his exhibit, “A Garden to Love.”  He was at the show with Chris Hopper, the creative force behind the exhibit.  Chris told me that he used the 2009 Southern Living plant collection, which includes Encore azaleas and various annuals, among other plants.  Ed pointed out that their garden also incorporated many Eco-Brite ideas, products, and concepts. Eco-Brite, you may remember from one of my earlier posts, is dedicated to encouraging environmental stewardship through the use of garden features like water permeable paving stones, grass strips, and more.  Stop by and ask Ed to tell you how to add these earth-friendly features to your own garden.

Ed Castro's landscape exhibit includes the Southern Living plant collection and environmentally-friendly Eco-Brite ideas and products.

I could go on and on, but you don’t want to keep reading about the flower show when you could be here in person to see it, right?  So come by the Cobb Galleria; the show runs tonight through 8 P.M., and opens again on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, here’s a quick sample of the authors you can meet at Eagle Eyes Books, which is located inside the show:

11 A.M. – Lynn Coulter (okay, that’s me!), author of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds

12 Noon – Ashton Ritchie, author of Scotts Southern Lawns

1 P.M. – John Wilson, author of Tales from a Tuscan Table

2 P.M. – Ashton Ritchie (again)

3 P.M. – Grady Thrasher, children’s author

4 P.M. – Allan Armitage, author of Armitage’s Native Plants for North American Gardens and other books

5 P.M. – Pamela Crawford, author of Instant Container Gardens

…and there are many more, including Joyce Revoir, Nicholas Kniel, Polly Mattox, and Helen Bost.   More authors and more great books arrive on Sunday!

I’ll have more pictures and show news for you tomorrow.  Until then–hope to see you at the show!

cheers,

Lynn

Allan Armitage

Have you checked your mailbox lately? Mine is starting to fill up with new seed catalogs, and yesterday, I got one from Tomato Growers Supply Company, a mail order business that will celebrate 25 years in 2009.

Tomato Growers, as you’d guess, specializes in tomatoes, and there are some delicious new varieties coming onto the market. I like ‘Bella Rosa,’ a VFFNA hybrid that is said to be both heat tolerant and resistant to tomato spotted wilt virus. The fruits are large with bright red flesh. ‘Shilling Giant’ also looks great. It bears huge, heart-shaped fruits with a meaty texture, fine for making into rich tomato sauce. Check out the catalog at Tomato Growers Supply Company.

I can’t wait to hear Jenny Levison, owner of Souper Jenny, when she speaks at the flower show next Jan. 30 about “Cooking from the Garden.” Laurie Grizzle, owner of the Mustard Seed Cafe, will also discuss cooking from your garden on Jan. 29. I want to ask them both about their recommendations for the best varieties to grow for making homemade sauces and soups.

No catalogs in your mailbox yet? Be patient. They start arriving around this time of year. Meanwhile, enjoy this picture, which comes from a book published in the mid-1500s. Seems artists have been fascinated by the beauty of humble tomatoes for centuries!

From a garden book published circa 1640

green blessings,
Lynn
www.LynnCoulter.com

Did you know that Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has declared today, Nov. 15, “America Recycles Day” here in our state? 

So save those paper towels that you cleaned the kitchen with this morning, along with the cartridge from your laser jet printer, yesterday’s milk jug, the motor oil from your car, and…well, you get the idea.

It’s all about being good stewards of the environment.  Not sure about what to do with your recyclables? Click below for a link to the Georgia Recycling Coalition.  You can enter the type of material you want to recycle, and your county or zip code, to find a location that accepts your items.

http://www.myecoville.com/us/ga/recycling-resources

And don’t forget that EnviroExpo USA is still going on today, from 10 AM to 5 PM, at AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta.  It’s packed with great ideas and products for better, greener living.  Be sure to catch the EcoBright booth, which is one of our partners here at the Southeastern Flower Show.  

Thanks, Governor, for raising our awareness about recycling and re-using.  The Flower Show is passionate about being green!

Ready to go green?  Of course you are!  If you live in the Southeast, like me, you’ve struggled with the drought over the last few years.  Because you care about our environment, you’ve switched to canvas bags, instead of those flimsy plastic ones, when you go shopping. You crunch aluminum cans, recycle newspapers, cook with fresh produce, and buy from local growers whenever you can.  

That’s why you’ll want to stop by EnviroExpo USA this weekend.  The show is going on now at AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta, on the corner of Spring and Harris Streets.  It runs Nov. 14 and 15, from 10 AM to 5 PM, and it’s FREE.  

The Southeastern Flower Show is proud to participate in the Expo this year with a booth about EcoBright horticulture.  EcoBright promotes sustainable landscaping through greener living, and even if you don’t see EcoBright’s environmentally-smart ideas and products this weekend, you can still catch them at the Flower Show next Jan. 28 through Feb. 1.  But why miss out this weekend?  You could be living greener, saving money, and most importantly, helping save the planet, right now.

If you’re wondering what “sustainability” means, here’s how the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) defines it: it’s meeting our present needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. We’re talking about our children, and the world they’ll live in, so that’s why we want to protect our environment while continuing to grow our economy in ecologically friendly ways. 

Stop by EnviroExpo USA this Saturday or Sunday.  Get going, and go green. 

 http://www.enviroexpousa.com/events.php