Today begins with a big chill, but when I arrive before 9 a.m. there are show-goers sitting in the lobby waiting for the doors to open. By 10, the halls seem instantly jammed. Weather be damned!
I've spent some time thinking about the other side of the Flower Show - not the big showy exhibits, which are fun, but the ones that, pardon the expression, kiss the earth. The students at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown know what I mean. They've put together an exhibit called "Sustainable Home Landscape," and it's one of my favorites.
"Sustainable" is a word tossed around a lot by people who care about the environment, but what does it mean in practical terms? "We're rethinking how we live our lives," says Del Val senior Lee Pouliot of Chicopee, Mass. That means recycling everything in sight, using less water and other forms of energy and saying no to harsh chemicals in the home and garden.
The students, who were cited by judges for their creativity, know how to draw a crowd, too. They've made interesting use of old bicycle parts. People are delighted by their bicycle chair - woven inner tubes for a seat, two bike seats for the backrest and upside down handle bars for the bottom of the chair. Sounds grotesque as I describe it but it's just wonderful. As is their chandelier, complete with little crystals hanging down, made from a bike wheel. (See photo.)
Time to motor off for more show.
