CT Flower & Garden Show
Yesterday I spent the day at the 29th Annual Connecticut Flower and Garden Show at the Hartford Convention Center. All in all, it wasn’t that much different from last year’s show but I still enjoyed it. It’s on until tomorrow, Sunday, February 21st and is open from 10am until 8pm. If you go, here are a few booths to check out.
Nantucket Bagg - These versatile bags can be hung on a wall or zipped into a bag with the pockets on the inside or outside. They have a drawstring, shoulder strap, and convertible backpack straps, making them easy to carry. Available in a range of fun colors (I bought a bright green one with hot pink contrasting straps – so fun!), they hold just about anything and can go just about anywhere. Truly unique, well-constructed, and perfect for so many occasions.
D&T Worm Farm – Dean and Theresa sell worm castings, also called vermicast or, in the case of D&T Worm Farm, Wormilizer. Sold in 2lb and 5lb containers (contact them directly for larger quantities), Wormilizer can improve the quality of your soil by adding necessary nutrients, improving soil structure, and adding beneficial microorganisms. Plants grown in soil supplemented with worm castings have been shown to germinate faster, exhibit enhanced productivity and be more resistant to pests when compared to plants grown with conventional fertilizers
Peony’s Envy – Located in Bernardsville, NJ, Peony’s Envy grows and sells both herbaceous and tree peonies. With unusual and descriptive names like Spirited Black Dragon and Red Flower in Snowfield, these gorgeous plants are sold bare root for planting from fall until early April. Drop by the booth for advice about growing peonies and to take a look at the many beautiful flowers for sale.
Connecticut Gardener Magazine - Despite recent reports to the contrary, Connecticut Gardener magazine is alive and well. Founded by Pamela Weil in 1995, the magazine was purchased by Anne and Will Rowlands of Fairfield in February 2010 – the Rowlands will continue to publish the magazine on a quarterly basis. The beauty of this magazine is that it focuses only on issues of interest to gardeners in Connecticut. If you garden here, this magazine is for you.
Landscape #11 from Perennial Harmony / Landscape #8 from Pride’s Corner – These two landscape exhibits are interesting because they’re different – #11 includes a vertical living wall while #8 has an example of a green roof. Both concepts are growing in popularity so it’s good to see them on display. The living wall here is built with wooden lattice and full of common garden herbs, like thyme, salad burnet, spearmint, and lavender. The green roof incorporates a range of sedums, including the popular ‘Angelina’.
Green roof with sedums
