Who doesn’t love the feeling that flowers give us? These products of nature symbolize the rebirth of spring and a final farewell to the cold of winter. In one patriotic city in our nation, an event with unique and vivid displays of floral arrangements has become an annual tradition that visitors from far and wide look forward to attending year after year.
It has come to be known as the Philadelphia Flower Show where beauty abounds in one large venue transformed within a very short period of time into a magnificent garden filled with sweet sights and enticing scents. This tradition has come to be known as the largest and oldest indoor flower show, covering ten acres of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the show has grown over the years to accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors marking 2014 as the 185th year of wowing nature enthusiasts. Revenue from the event has even topped over $1 million as the word keeps spreading and more visitors become intrigued by the show.
Prolific displays cover the entire expanse of the center appealing to all ages from the moment that they enter. The flower fever is contagious, putting business owners and residents across the city in a bright and cheery mood during this time frame, motivating them to create their own displays across their storefronts and throughout lobbies. Prizes are awarded for Most Colorful Palette, Most Creative Design, Most Artistic just to name a few.
This year, the Philadelphia Flower Show was held from March 1st through March 9th, 2014. The theme was ‘Articulture, Where Art Meets Horticulture’ and the main inspiration for the show was the brilliant work of Pennsylvania native and well-known artist, Alexander Calder. He was known for his ingenious mobiles that were works of art and interesting mediums for self-expression. Many of these present day exhibitionists studied the painting of a specific and famous artist and put that memory into a remarkable display of florals and even forests, complete with the sounds of singing birds. Thousands of flowers and plants in a variety of colors and shapes were photographed again and again for their remarkable recreation and enticing colors. From a towering pink tree to a giant bumblebee made of tightly fit flowers, creativity never ceased to amaze us. Serene waterfalls, florals passing as stupendous sculptures, not only entertained, but mystified and thrilled those with an eye for art. Eighteen different art museums collaborated in making the displays wondrous this year. With every display that you passed, you could imagine the amount of innovation that went into making each scene a winning masterpiece.
Speaking of winning, a national competition also takes place during the event with full-fledged judges who choose their favorites in several categories. Arrangements, displays and gardens are judged on how many senses they awaken, making the judges experience sight, smell, sound and touch. Generous sponsors such as Bank of America and Subaru made the 2014 event possible, accounting for a great deal of its success. Much dedication and hard work also made this the ultimate event of the year.
From brilliant bulbs in bloom to lavish and alluring landscapes, this show is a sensual paradise prompting many to get their own gardens ready upon leaving the show as they look forward to the Philadelphia Flower Show next year.
