It’s not often I post a bad review on the blog and I had decided I wasn’t even going to share our trip to the 2019 Connecticut Garden Show in Hartford, Connecticut with you until Tracy left a comment yesterday about her less than exciting experience with the garden show and I knew, I wasn’t the only one who felt the same way.
I know a ton of hard work and effort go into these type of events, and that you cannot please everyone {I truly get that} but I firmly believe if there are billboards up all over town telling people your event is “One of the largest and most prestigious flower shows in New England” and you are going to charge an admission price of $18 per person, and people are going to set aside a big chunk of their day to attend your event, you should at least attempt to knock their socks off.
Well, I’m here to report the HH and I both left with our socks on.
But then again, maybe once you’ve been to a truly stellar garden show like the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle a bunch of times, the bar has been set too high.
Here we go.
The first “display garden” as you walk into the venue. A giant screen printed sheet as a backdrop, a cardboard cut out of a person, a couple of rolls of sod, beauty bark, a couple of potted plants, a fountain and a statue.
I’m pretty sure I could have purchased everything above {with the exception of the backdrop} from the Home Depot and put this display together by myself in a couple of hours.
The same goes for this display garden.
This was probably the third best display of the entire GARDEN show. An outdoor pizza oven and bbq patio.
The second best display in my opinion went to the Make America Green Again peeps. Even though there was a lot of sod and bark {which seemed to be a reoccurring theme}, they actually made the effort of to haul in slate and river rock and stagger a bunch of different plants for a more natural setting.
Now this is what I would call a proper garden display. This gorgeous potting shed was BY FAR the best display garden in the entire show.
It had a…
Focal point: The potting shed, or wait maybe it was the hollowed out log, or the cascading plants.
Unique walkway : Tree rounds
Depth : They did an excellent job of using a variety of plants as well as installing a pond. My eyes went up and down and all around and there was something eye catching at every turn.
As far as display gardens went…. those should give you a general idea of what we paid $18 to see.
And then there were the 300 display booths.
The booth above, was one of the better ones. And although there wasn’t anything terribly unique, at least they didn’t have a totally tasteless doormat that read Sorry, We’re Stoned or an Open Door Policy doormat for sale like the vendors a couple of rows over. At least this booth fit in to the whole garden show theme, even if everything they offered could have been found at a Home Goods or a Hobby Lobby type store.
Other than a grandma selling her knitted hats {which I found odd, for a garden show} and a couple of jewelry booths, there wasn’t much in the way of unique artisan type booths like you would see at the Northwest Flower and Garden show. {Bob Bowlings and Tuli Fisher come to mind} There was one guy who was selling beautiful handmade wooden inlay mirrors {priced around $1,800} but his booth seemed so out of place when compared to the guy the next row over selling cheesy plastic {Made in China} toy water guns you could find at Walmart for $5.
It was almost as if there was no juried application process for vendors. As an attendee, it was a bit confusing. If I would have paid to sell my wares at this show, I would have been terribly disappointed.
This was one of the better display booth end caps of the show.
Had we of known we’d be walking a gauntlet of hot tub booths, lotion samples, a MLM company selling stretch pants, some guy selling peanut butter, or a bunch of other random and totally out of place fairground type booths, we would have saved our $18 and stayed home.
As far as actual garden products/plants for sale, I recall a few booths selling seed packets, one booth selling lily bulbs and another selling mini aloe and cactus plants, you know, like the ones you can buy at the Home Depot for $3.
Don’t get me wrong, there were a couple of nice booths, like the one from Snug Harbor Farm {who had a beautiful display of house plants you could purchase} or the other one selling a handful of potted spring bulbs, or the company selling cupolas, but overall, for a garden show…. the whole thing was seriously lacking.
This was somebody’s display booth. Birdhouses on a single rack.
I can’t believe I paid good money to see this branch.
Note to self: Take clippings from around my yard, set up a booth {maybe throw a curtain over the front of it first} and charge people walking by $5.00 to lift the curtain and look at my plants. Also, be sure and post a large sign that says NO REFUNDS allowed.
I think juried plants and tree branches have their place. And it’s at the county fair. Not taking up space at a garden show where people are shelling out $18 for a ticket and expecting to be dazzled.
{I’ve seen better displays in grocery stores}
So there you have it. My opinion of the 2019 Connecticut garden show in Hartford, Connecticut. It was a total dud. There was zero wow factor and we were in and out in 46 minutes flat. We both wanted our money back. And YES, we made sure to go up and down each aisle, and look at every single display, and still…. it was a stinker.
Bigger, isn’t always better {take the Maine Flower Show for example, it was a much smaller venue, and beautifully done}. Some events just aren’t all they’re hyped up to be. And others, well, they knock your socks off.
~Mavis
Lacy says
Wow, just looking at pictures that looks pathetic. I’ve never been to an actual garden show so I don’t have anything to really compare it to….but I am an avid gardener or both plants and veggies and those displays were just terrible. Where are the plants? It left me feeling confused. Now, I do watch a fair share of Monty Don and the garden shows of Chelsea and all the others he attends are what I dream a garden show to be. Do you watch Gardeners World, Mavis? New season starts up in less than 2 weeks I believe!
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve seen a few episodes and I love Monty Don. 🙂
Terri M Lindeke says
It’s hard to beat the best ones in the country. The Seattle one and other successful shows have a common denominator in the same large company that does this for a living. See if you can go to one of the ones they produce. Seattle also has a very large facility in their Convention Center in downtown Seattle. The show is in 2 buildings that are connected by a very large enclosed sky bridge that also has show pieces. In addition they have a large number of seminar rooms to take classes and a big market area where you can buy all manner of tools and garden plants and supplements. The seminars are small to gigantic depending on popularity. To do it right and catch all the seminars you want to it can take 2 days. I’d suggest planning a trip and spending the whole weekend here.
The lighting alone in the display gardens is awesome… you want to just move into the display gardens… that take days to create. Imagine perfect lighting on the structures, that are in a darkened gigantic room so the movie like lights can highlight the different areas just so. Dreamy.
“The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is produced by Marketplace Events, creating vibrant expositions connecting enthusiasts with experts, products and services in dynamic face-to-face environments. The company produces 42 consumer home shows in the US, 16 in Canada, and 6 holiday shows. The 64 combined events, in 32 markets, attract 20,000 exhibitors, 1.8 million attendees and another 3 million unique web visitors annually. From 14 offices, the 150-person staff produces some of the most successful and longest-running shows in North America, including market-leading shows in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal—some of which have thrived in their markets for more than 75 years. For more information, visit http://www.marketplaceevents.com “
Naomi says
I haul the hubster to that show about every three years. The entire drive is a discussion on the last time we went. Tons of vendors that have nothing to do with gardening. Cheapo made in China/get it at Walmart stuff, hot tubs, and over priced yard art. The garden displays were less than the last time we went and really underwhelming. I agree with your review, but every few years, I go back, hoping they have upped their game.
Ellie says
Are you planning on going to the Boston garden show?
Mavis Butterfield says
No. My buddy Heather and I went 2 years ago.
Ellie says
Was that one worth it?
Alison Cooper says
This is how the Philadelphia Glower show has been lately and tickets are $34 this year plus parking!! Up $8 from last year.
Hoping this year will be different – the theme is Flower Power.
Maxine says
I finally made it to Philly for their show, taking two non-gardeners with me and was underwhelmed. There were some great detailed exhibits, more detailed than what’s pictured here, but I remember thinking after walking out of the great hall, “that’s it?”. I really thought they’d have more exhibits in other halls. Definitely not enough plants to purchase. I thought it was just me. The most egregious was that there wasn’t a section with gardening books for sale. It was still fun to go but not for the price tag.
Meanwhile some people I follow have posted some great shots of the NWFGS. I really like the driftwood dragon and the circles in a rock wall lit with bluefish purple light (and someone posted a large booth with nothing but books for sale)!
Christy says
I was looking at the prices of the Philly show and was shocked! Thought maybe I’d take my 4 or 6 year old nephew/niece and let them experience the train ride to Philly, etc but they charge for kids age 2+ and I think it was something like $17! Not going for that price especially when Longwood gardens is a few miles from me. Have you been to Longwood?
Candice says
Hi Mavis,
You have to check out Longwood Gardens in south eastern PA. I think spring is the best time to go.
Laura says
Christy, I’m about 2 miles from Longwood Gardens so we’re practically neigbors. LG is a beautiful place to go, get some walking exercise in and gaze at so many beautiful plants, trees, shrubs, waterfalls, and a fountain display not to be missed…..try to visit sometime, Mavis, you’ll love it.
Sara L says
Oooh – A Mavis meet and greet at Longwood! I sure we all have an extra guest pass for you Mavis!! Count me in!!
Deanna says
Lacking but maybe ppl don’t know better quality shows. We here in the PNW are really spoiled with all our fabulous H&G shows
Peggy says
I’m not the type to be wowed by these types of shows in the first place, Pittsburgh has one that I went to moons ago with our neighbors, and it just wasn’t for me. I’m more of a do itself type person, a what can I make beautiful and totally me kind of person, so starting from the ground up making nothing something is my cup of tea, plus I don’t like crowds! Now a flower show, that’s something I would pay admission. Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh is one of those places with amazing flower shows. Hope you by have a great day, and at least you have one of your dates in for the year.
nancy says
Oh Mavis those pictures remind me of going to the West Michigan Garden Show. By the time we paid the entrance fee, equally pricey parking fee and eating lunch downtown we went through a hundred dollars. Every few minutes someone was hawking new windows or new doors. There were NO booths with seeds or flowers or garden sheds. A few displays set up by landscape companies but other than that 300 booths of things that had NOTHING to do with gardening. My husband and I left with our socks on as well and we won’t be returning.
Diana says
Sounds like a typical ‘home show’ money grab. Besides the too-high gate fee, the organizers no doubt charged for the booth displays, too. Around here, the individual booths go for hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece. This seems to be the trend–to take a show that was once beautiful, unique and homegrown, and turn it over to a soulless cookie-cutter outfit to put it on.
Maybe some businesses should have tried harder on their displays (besides ‘just’ forking over $thousands for their space). But some of the items you ridiculed appeared to be handmade; i.e., the same type of things you sell and tout on your blog. I’m betting the problem with this show is a breakdown or misguided aim of the organizers, not the exhibitors who pay to participate and actually make the show. Trust me, some organizations or businesses didn’t want to buy a space or put up a display, but got guilted into it with the old ‘community spirit/tradition’ bit. I’m betting everyone but the organizers got fleeced. So I don’t know that I would take it out on the exhibitors who put up displays and paid for the ‘privilege’ of doing so. Maybe next year you should purchase a booth and show them all how it’s done. Familiarize yourself with what’s really going on behind the scenes and be vocal about what you disagree with. Lessons will be learned all around, I’m sure.
Teri says
Are there any other shows that you can check out? Boston maybe? How long of a drive was it to Connecticut?
Peggy says
I really don’t agree. I loved the flower show. It has always been about the same size. If you compare it with shows as large at the NW flower show or the Philadelphia flower show then of course you will be disappointed. The CT flower show is not touted at the NE flower show. If nothing else we can enjoy all the vendors that come each year.
Sharon says
I think the underlying premise of some of these shows are people in the North are so bug-eyed crazy from winter at this point and will pay all kinds of money to see ANYTHING green and growing. Or, in some cases, just green…
Kristina says
Yeah, I dunno. We have something similar in our small city, and it’s just fine. Not knock your socks off, but fine, maybe the best we can do in a small rural place. I know you didn’t mean to, but you do come off here a little like a suburbanite who doesn’t think the provincial locals come up to snuff (for instance, never seen a grocery display as grand as that bike scenario ’round these parts….). Frankly, I don’t think you should only give positive reviews, as I’m sure some folks would be glad to get a head’s up if this show isn’t for them. But maybe your tone could be a little gentler. Real people made those displays and homemade goods; they were probably giving it their best effort, poor as you might find it.
Carrie says
Wow. The flower booths at the farmer’s markets are much more impressive than that! That looks like a flea market!
Bec B. says
It sounds a little bit like you went to the Fyre Flower Festival! We’ve had the same experience. We used to get free tickets to the RV show (still had to pay $10+ for parking) and it was quite nice, but we were shocked at how bad the home show was here in Portland. My husband is polite and stopped to talk to everyone, but I could have been in and out of there in 30 minutes tops and we haven’t been back.
I am considering going to the garden show you mentioned in Seattle. Looks like we missed this year’s, but I’m marking my calendar for the one in 2020. I’m planning on redoing our backyard over the next few summers so I could definitely use some inspiration!
Jen says
You might like the gardens at the Portland show? Lots of stonework and green, the photos I’ve seen tend towards fairytale forest type of vibe. I’ve never been even though it’s close by but I do know that this year they are doing shuttles from Maine Mall bc on on-site construction.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I’ve never been before but Heather and I have plans to go to the Portland show at the end of March.
Jen says
https://maineflowershow.com Any info would be helpful, right?
MEM says
Oh wow Mavis! The displays are all pretty terrible – embarrassing even. For me the Boston Flower Show was a one-and-done — it was years ago though so maybe it has improved.
Mavis Butterfield says
Heather and I went two years ago and the Boston flower show was a one-and-done for me as well.
Brianna says
I love the outdoor pizza oven and barbecue! It would be great in my backyard. I think it is just awesome and such a dream. My next door neighbor has build dozens of brightly colored bird houses and scattered them throughout his 5 acre property and I really enjoy them as it brings the sounds of birds amongst the frustrated chipmunk chatter. My kids enjoy roaming around and finding them and watching the birds. He takes a lot of pride in his bird houses. I probably couldn’t build a birdhouse if I tried, I struggled building the Lowe’s kid workshop one.
Susan says
Seems a little harsh. The Seattle garden show definitely has amazing display gardens in one half of the main hall, but there’s also guys selling jerky, honey, leggings, the lady selling wraps (not the edible kind, the over the shoulder kind), endless hot tub, stone pavers and gutter booths, those brooms you always see people walking around with (2 different broom sellers this year that I saw), a lady knitting alpaca hats, Toyota was a big sponsor this year (everyone was given a reusable toyota bag upon entry). Lots of variety. Lots of what I consider more home show sellers plus lots of fair/craft show type booths of artists selling all kinds of things from outlet covers to MLM dip mixes & spices.
Sharon@MLT says
I kid you not Mavis, I saw nearly the same bicycle display at the garden center at my Fred Meyer.
Impressive for retail clerks, not impressive at a garden show.
And tell it like it is, if it is bad, it is bad.
Elizabeth says
It looks like a typical, small garden show… for $18 what did you expect? Sometimes, it seems like you want champagne on an off brand beer budget. Don’t like it? Don’t go back. But do give the locals props for trying.
Katherine says
I use to love to go to these shows. The last one we attended in Atlanta in 2017 had very little garden stuff but tons of hot tubs, screen porch rooms, plantation blinds, home brewery and lots of other stuff that had nothing to do with gardening. We were so disappointed we asked to be refunded our money.
Marcia says
Maybe I’m painting this with the “I live in So Cal” brush but…I’m not sure what you’d expect to see at a garden show in CT in February?
I’ve never been to a garden show (if you saw my property…you’d agree). But…I’m just not sure what kind of plants you’d see in Feb.
Candice says
Hi Mavis.
I went to the Philadelphia Garden Show 2 years ago and felt the same way. There was only one display that I was really “wowed” by but most of the venue was taken up by booths selling “stuff”. If i recall it was more expensive too. I belong to a local garden club and the other members raved about the beautiful displays at the Philadelphia garden show so that is why I decided to check it out. Maybe I was expexting too much, but I was not impressed.
Sarah says
Last year a group of friends and I went to the Nashville garden show. Your pictures and descriptions could have been taken directly from it. It was awful. As for a “garden” show, literally one booth was selling houseplants. And they had a huge line because hello! People came to a garden show to buy plants! (Amazing, I know) it was so awful that we refused to go again this year.
From the above comments it sounds like this is the norm. Guess we’ll all have to go to the PNW to see a “real” garden show!
Kim says
I’ve never been to a garden show, so not qualified to have an opinion about the post in general. But I enjoyed the picture of the colorful birdhouses. And “Sorry, We’re Stoned” made me laugh. What on earth…?
OregonGuest says
I’m not crazy about these shows, but then again, I probably haven’t been to a good one.
Our local show is more HOME than GARDEN. Anything — and I mean ANYTHING — having to do with “home” automatically qualifies you as a vendor. Have 2 feet? There’s the alpaca socks booth. Recently fell down the stairs into your basement? There’s the physical therapy booth. Want to leave your house? Big game hunting trip booth. Have mean neighbors? There’s the Outdoor Speaker Disguised As A Rock (to play Barry Manilow) booth. Want to kick someone out of your house? There’s the Divorces-Are-Us attorney booth. Do we get green, growing things and pink bicycles? No. No we don’t.
Lana P says
This was my experience at a home show. I swear you must have gone to the same one.
My husband and i were done in less than an hour which is bad consider we drove 3 hours to go to it.
Michele says
Yes! Please come to Maine and try the Portland Show!
Pat says
Sorry Mavis but I can’t stop laughing at your description! I agree that it was definitely a dud. I noticed that the branch won a second place ribbon. I wonder what for.
Kathy G says
Heading to the Phillie Show next week. It’s double the price you paid but definitely more impressive displays. Fingers crossed for a good experience.
Karen says
I have been to the Seattle show and it was amazing. I went to the Tacoma show this year and it was beyond pathetic. I guess that is what $10.00 buys you. There were two flower displays and otherwise it was like the sales pavilion at the Puyallup fair.
Jane says
Hi Mavis,
Reporting in from University Place Washington, where just last weekend we made the trek to Seattle for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. We were a little disappointed in this years show but, now that you have posted the pics from the Connecticut show – I see we really have no complaints! I can’t believe the difference! I have always heard that our show is one of the best, and now I really see why it is true! So sorry you won’t be attending a more professional show again; the one thing you would have not appreciated was the entry fee, now $24!
Keralee says
Bucket list item: attend Chelsea Garden Show at least once!
Laura says
Yeah, I went to the Seattle show once or twice, and, while it was really nice, it was so crowded and so expensive, I swore I would never go again. And this was 20 years ago! I think all those shows are kinda pricey for what you get, but the Seattle show was very inspirational and did have some amazing vendors selling unique items that you would have to go to various websites to find rather than getting to see them in person and try them out.
Maybe the next one will be better because your expectations are so low now!
Rita says
I quit going to the Seattle show several years ago because it was so crowded and the price kept going up. The lines for the seminars were always too long and it did get more and more commercial with the booths. Oh well, to each their own, I guess. Nowadays I seem to enjoy Fine Gardening magazine and some of the gardening tv programs for inspiration. Hope you enjoy the Portland show Mavis. Will look forward to the report.
Anna says
Laura from Garden Answer vlogged about the 2019 NW Flower and Garden show (posted on You Tube). The displays looked pretty awesome for that venue. They had a Hartley Botanic greenhouse to drool over -I want one abutted to my house! I’d like to go next year as I’m local and I’ve never been.
april says
waste of time and money, donate the monies to your local soup kitchens where your monies will help to make a difference and giving of your time will touch others lives.
Cindy s Reynolds says
those tree rounds will start rotting in a years time…..unless you treat them with something or poly them…..