In 24 years I've been twice. It's just too commercial and repetitive. How many gutter vendors and deck builders do you really need in one show?

Well, finally, someone answered. I was beginning to feel a little lonely sitting there...Ha! It's been a number of years since I went and had never seen anything like the garden displays. Yes, I guess there are alot of vendors. With the economy now, everyone needs business. Still wish I could go. Cheers!

Kinda yes to what Dottie just said, but value really depends on what one is looking for. When I first moved here (back in the early 90's) and was planning my (quirky) business build-out, the Home & Garden show was invaluable to me for finding/seeing products and making contacts. The garden part was lacking, but that's not what I was looking for at that time.

Nearly a decade later, I went again, armed with a list of things to explore as I finally built a home. Again, it was more products and, among other things, I found my ideal sunroom company and saw my solatubes up close - along w/all their competitors. Great show for my purpose then.

But, here in Raleigh, in the gardening department these shows fall really short of any expectations. I finally realized that there is no comparison to a Horticultural Society Garden Show (as I was accustomed to back in MA) and a Home & Garden show here. I was accustomed to a Home Show and a Garden Show - separate events. So, I adapted.

Not that the local Home Shows are wrong, just not quite what gardeners need.

I missed the H&G show this year - didn't mean to, was interested to see how it was staged in the new Raleigh Convention Center versus the old venue at the Fairgrounds, but the weather was nice and we decided not to waste it indoors at the Show.

Don't feel lonely, flowerfloozie - some of us are just a little slow on the draw .... ! :o)

Zag - the recent show in the new downtown Raleigh Convention Center was just a Home Show. They plan on having it a Home and Garden Show next year. I don't hold out much hope for it though - the rules they place on the exhibitors makes it impossible to really pull off something spectacular. It will be a trade show of gutter guards and hot tubs.

I off to spend the weekend in Philly at a real garden show - Philadelphia Flower Show (the oldest and biggest).

Interesting, John. My 'garden elves' (landscapers) always have a booth at the show (and give me free passes!). Far as I know they did this past show, but I haven't spoken to them about their experience. Will do so.

If the Philadelphia flower show is even close to what Boston used to host you're in for a real treat and I'm envious. Think I've heard that the MA Hort. Society has fallen on hard times, so the Boston show is but a shadow of its former self. I do remember that the venue kept changing, confusing everybody.

My visits were in its' heyday ..... best time to go was mid Sunday afternoon when exibitors were selling off their displays for short change to avoid having to transport them back to their sites. Ah, the good old days .....

There is a Green 'n Growin' Show in January and a Summer Green Show in August in Greensboro NC. It is sponsored by the NC Nursery & Landscape Association in conjunction with their education and certification programs.

There were multiple vendors but mostly wholesale nurseries who expect big orders from pro landscapers. But at the end they sold everything in their displays and very cheaply (wholesale prices). Huge BNB trees for $50, nice shrubs for $10, the latest hybrid flowering plants or trays of ground covers for $5. You had to make arrangements with the vendors and have about 10 minutes to pay and leave with your treasures when the trade show officially ends on Sunday.

I've been twice and enjoy the wandering around smelling ProMix and wet soil in the middle of January with forced blooms everywhere.

Nancy the nancedar

Here is a link that might be useful: NC Nursery and Landscape Assn.