Kiss the Earth

Laura Militzer is really into seeds. She's selling more than 1,600 varieties at the flower show - at the Seed Source booth in the marketplace area - and you should see some of them! These are my absolute faves ... Franchi, from Italy, founded in 1783. The packets alone are worth the trip - giant and colorful with gorgeous photos of produce and flowers. Laura showed me the 'Lemon Leopold' sunflower and the 'Super Marconi' flat Roma bean, which she says is, hands down, the most reliable, delicious bean she's ever grown.

Laura is from Rowley, north of Boston, and the Philadelphia Flower Show - which she's come to for 11 years - is the only flower show she bothers with. "This is just a tremendous show, very uplifting," she says, comparing it to a "Broadway spectacular."

Laura says the vendors are friendly and welcoming and she sees the same customers year after year. I can see why. She has a huge selection, including tomato seeds from an outfit in Carmel, CA., called TomatoFest, more than 300 varieties of organic tomato seeds. 'You have to try the 'Julia Child' or the 'Clint Eastwood,' " Laura says.

They're big, rich, tasty, meaty, deeply grooved ... doesn't that get you in the mood for tomatoes?

Laura has something else, a novelty that she feared might make her the butt of jokes. Au contraire! I think it's a draw ... Piccoli Amici, a line of pet food seeds, food for your lizards, squirrels, canaqries, hamsters and dogs. "I'm a seedaholic," Louise says.