Flower photos courtesy of Beautiful Blooms/Donna O’Brien and attributed photographers
Featured homepage photo courtesy of David Mielcerak
Food photo courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography
The breathtaking work of Northern Liberties floral design studio Beautiful Blooms will be on display once again.
Photo courtesy of Tom Feehly
Philadelphia will command the world’s stage for a spectacular tribute to Europe’s City of Light when the Philadelphia International Flower Show debuts “Springtime in Paris,” March 6 – 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The entire city will be aglow with special displays and distinctive promotions to welcome the hundreds of thousands of visitors who attend the festivities during Show week. The Philadelphia International Flower Show, presented by PNC, is this nation’s premiere horticultural event, an award-winning destination consistently ranked in North America’s Top 100 events; featured in the best-selling 1,000 Places to Visit Before You Die; and known throughout the world as a must-see for flower and garden lovers.
“The Philadelphia International Flower Show brings both area residents and visitors from around the world into the heart of our great city,” says PHS President Drew Becher. “We hope to showcase all that Philadelphia has to offer and solidify the City of Brotherly Love’s position as a vibrant place to live and a premier destination for travelers from all walks of life.”
This year’s Flower Show will transport winter-weary guests to the romantic and stylish streets of Paris, through acres of remarkable gardens, cafes, parks and floral displays. Visitors first enter a stunning Parisian park filled with the scent of lilac, lavender and roses and thousands of tulips blooming beneath the glittering, 37-foot-high arch of the Eiffel Tower. A cadre of colorful topiary animals – including a peacock, unicorn, ostrich and butterfly – created by Valley Forge Flowers will sprout from the display and lead to the Carousel Stage. Here, the magical recreation of Paris continues with daily performances by French can-can dancers and cabaret singers, all under the ornate canopy of one of Paris’s iconic landmarks.
Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms
Education is also a large aspect of the Show and more than 150 free presentations and instructional displays will focus on the newest gardening trends, featuring renowned national experts and designers.
The region’s landscape and floral designers will spark the imaginations of each Flower Show visitor as they capture the many facets of Paris in lively, bold and colorful depictions. Jamie Rothstein Distinctive Floral Designs will team up with French antiques collector John Whitenight on an exhibit that epitomizes “Opulent Paris,” with a glamorous interior parlor and exterior garden in the style of the Belle Époque. “Romantic Paris” will come to life through the designs of Robertson’s Flowers in a glorious fantasy wedding scene at Nôtre Dame. The masterpieces of France’s greatest artists will be interpreted by Michael Petrie’s Handmade Gardens in an inspired portrayal of “Artists’ Paris.”
The 2011 Show includes a nod toward the avant-garde in “Underground Paris,” created by the best-in-show-winning American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). The otherworldly scene, which takes inspiration from Paris’s catacombs, features edgy art recreated en fleur. Conversely, Stoney Bank Nurseries goes skyward to serve up “Delectable Paris,” celebrating great Parisian cuisine amid overflowing rooftop gardens, while Burke Brothers Landscape Contractors transports guests to “Timeless Paris,” an urbane world of green courtyards and intimate cafes.
This year the Philadelphia International Flower Show will treat visitors to a peek inside Parisian kitchens while celebrating “Springtime in Paris.” Chefs from the Philadelphia region appear daily throughout show week.
Talented exhibitors will also pay tribute to the Champs-Elysees, the Tour de France, ateliers, a perfumerie, and even a renowned Parisian burial ground in massive displays of exquisite floral and landscape design.
Shoppers will find a bustling Marketplace with a vast array of plants and products for the garden. Foodies will enjoy culinary demonstrations by the region’s noted chefs and a Wine and Spirits Garden, with free tastings, presented by the PA Wine & Spirits Store in the Grand Hall.
This year, the Philadelphia International Flower Show will treat visitors to a peek inside Parisian kitchens while celebrating “Springtime in Paris.” Learn the techniques of preparing Parisian delicacies in the Culinary Room, located on the main concourse in Room 204 C. Chefs from the Philadelphia region appear daily throughout show week, March 6 to 13, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Demonstrations take place at noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. Each session includes 30 minutes of cooking and concludes with a question-and-answer session.
Culinary festivities kickoff on Sunday, March 6, with a full day of demonstrations dedicated to the city’s French cuisine flagship, Le Bec Fin. Additionally, on Saturday, March 12, the room will showcase the best of France from Starr Restaurants and Stephen Starr Events, including demonstrations by chefs from Parc, Granite Hill, and Starr’s catering division.
Also appearing in this year’s Culinary Room will be Chef Daniel Stern of R2L, Chef Lee Styer of Fond, Chef Jonathan Cichon of Lacroix, Chef Michael Yeamans of Rouge, Chef Guillermo Tellez of Square 1682, Chef Peter Woosley of Bistro La Minette, and many more.
The room will close out with a day of demonstrations by one of Philadelphia’s premier French chefs, Jean Marie Lacroix. Lacroix, now chef-partner of Max & Me Catering, originally opened the eponymous restaurant at The Rittenhouse Hotel.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.theflowershow.com. For behind-the-scenes information about the Show, visit the Flower Show Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.
To see a video preview of the Flower Show visit www.theflowershow.com/movie.html.
