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March 26, 2010
Spring is blooming in Boston
After a long, cold New England winter, I really look forward to spring—and not just for the warm sunshine and balmy breezes. Like any other gardening enthusiast, I yearn to see life restored to the landscape, to find my yard filled with leafy green trees and my flower garden rife with bold, colorful blooms.
So it was with great anticipation that I ventured forth—accompanied by my dear friend, Nadine; my daughter, Charlotte; and Charlotte’s friend, Kate—to the annual Boston Flower & Garden Show. I love seeing the creative floral displays and innovative landscape designs at this annual event, and all four of us agree that this year’s exhibition more than lived up to its theme: “A Feast for the Senses.”
As we wandered among the various booths—which included gorgeous displays of succulent plants (my favorite!); a demonstration of ikebana, the celebrated Japanese art of flower arrangement; a fascinating “Garden of Cakes,” where flowers decorated the elaborate confections; and a quirky, oversized red garden chair—I was reminded of the many beautiful landscapes I’ve seen during my travels …
In the Netherlands, I was fortunate enough to see the celebrated Keukenhof Gardens in bloom, filled with row upon row of rainbow-hued tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. In London, I strolled through the world famous Chelsea Flower Show, where I saw some truly breathtaking floral arrangements featuring delicate English roses. (I’m hoping Charlotte will take my advice and attend this year’s show in May!) And I’ll always remember the sunny afternoon I spent in the French village of Giverny, basking in the beauty of Claude Monet’s water-lily filled garden.
The floral and landscape designs I saw at the Boston Flower & Garden Show were no less impressive—and undeniably enhanced by the fact that I was able to share the experience with Nadine, Charlotte, and Kate. You can see pictures from our garden-themed “girls’ night out” in News & Views; perhaps, like me, they’ll leave you with visions of spring dancing in your head …
Harriet Lewis