82-Lancastar Fanning, Saturday, March 14, 1998
Melange Of French Design Greets Visitors
To the World’s Largest Indoor Flower Show
Florist William J. Franklin, Philadelphia, captured the
Imagination of a French garden. At the show, a simple gar
den wagon cart was overflowing with many types of flow
ers, Including red ginger, purple monkshood, pussywillow,
royal lilies, Queen Proteus, roses, snapdragons, French
tulips, heather, and Veronica.
and the talents of chef Anne Willan
were premier events.
In this melange, probably the
roost stunning display was pro
vided by Philadelphia designer
Jamie Rothstein, who used infor
mation on the display from her trip
to Versailles last summer. The
“Hall of Minors” design towers
about 16 feet high, including thou
sands of stems imported from
France.
Rothstein marks her 12 th
appearance at the Flower Show.
Her emotional interpretation of the
world-renowned Versailles exhi
bit drew accolades from those who
attended the event
For more down-to-earth
designs, it was easy for florist Wil
liam J. Franklin, Philadelphia, to
capture the imagination of a
French garden. The florists have
been involved in garden design
since 1951. At the show, a simple
garden wagon cart was overflow
ing with many types of flowers,
including red ginger, purple
monkshood, pussywillow, royal
lilies. Queen Proteus, roses, snap
dragons. French tulips, heather,
and Veronica.
The French theme was spelled
out in the Peco Energy Company
display, “Les Avenues Des Arts”
(The Avenue of the Arts), fes
tooned with crimson pygmy bar
berry along the bottom, crowned
with hybrid impatiens, with a
white tree of Vanhoutte Spires.
Close to die venerable Eiffel
Tower replicate was a lowering
Barberry. Other flowers in the dis
play, also placed in honor of Phi
ladelphia’s own Avenue of the
Arts, were Zumi Crabapple,
Kwanzan cherry, purple leaf Sand
cherry, compact “Shamrock”
Inkberry, Maiden Grass, Dense
Yew, Dark American Arborvitac,
Pleasant White Azalea, Tradition
and Poukhanese Azalea, Fragrant
Viburnum, PJ.M. Rhododendron,
Lynwood Gold Forsythia, Red Tip
Photinia, Hollywood Juniper,
Bergenia, Carpet Bugle, English
Ivy. Purple Palace Coral Bells.
Victoria Blue Salvia, Silver Dusty
Miller, “King Alfred” Narcissus,
Norway Spruce, and white, pink,
and purple impatiens.
Delaware Valley College con
tributed some whimsy to the
experience with it’s "From Flow
ers to Fragrance to Passion and
More” exhibit One was a white
wicker bed filled with Mathiola
Incana “Miracle Mix” which won
an Award of Merit at the Show.
Laughters and smiles and fresh
blooms . . . more lighthearted
Cirque Du Fleur, Designs In Bloom, with special lighting was a standout at the Flow
er Show.
features included the “Iron Works"
display by McNaughton’s Land
scaping, Cherry Hill and Somers
Point, NJ. An abandoned truck,
remnants of old iron, and a rustic
path filled with ivy and delicate
flowering vines overpowered visi
tors’ senses.
The display, featuring a little
“rust as beauty,” won a Best
Achievement Award, Best Unique
Features at the show. The bottom
of the old truck was surrounded by
Othello Ligularia and die exhibit
featured Japanese Beech Fern,
Parrot Feather, and a water garden
with Golden Club, Corkscrew
Rush, and Winterglut Bergenia,
among others in the display. Also
included were Limber Pine and
“Henry’s Garnet” Sweet Spire.
Another zany display was “The
Tooleries,” J. Franklin Styer
Nursery. Lots of (nightly painted
garden tools were stacked end to
end to create “trees” with a base of
Rosa Betty Prior, Rosa Aguste
Renoir, and Rosa Toulouse
Lautrec.
The “theme display” near the
beginning featured a painting by
Vincent Van Gogh, “Field of
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
PHILADELPHIA —A mixture
of different ideas is often dubbed a
“melange.” Such a melting pot can
turn into a thing of pristine
splendor.
Thousands of visitors caught the
grandeur of France at this year’s
Philadelphia Flower Show, the
largest indoor flower show in the
world.
The show, held at the Pennsyl
vania Convention Center, featured
die theme, “La Passion du Jardin,”
or “The Passim of the Garden.”
Visitors glimpsed the artistry of
the potagcr at Chateau de Villan
dry, the elegant French roses of
Henri Delbard, a French country
kitchen and dining room, and the
magnificent floral reflections at
the Versailles-like “Hall of Mir
rors.” French treasures
J "jp
OMES
Probably tne most stunning display was provided by Philadelphia designer Jamie
Rothsteln, who used information on the display from her trip to Versailles last sum
mer. The “Hall of Minors” design towers about 16 feet high, Including thousands of
stems Imported from France.
The most stunning Individual plant was the first place
Rhododendron “Ambrosia” shown by Mrs. Lament DuPont
Copel and the Garden Club of Wilmington, Del. The fiery
exhibit provided an unequaled shower of Intense red to
brighten anyone's day.
Tulips,” 1883, with a floral design
by Frank Cushing.
The most stunning individual
plant was the first place Rho
dodendron “Ambrosia” shown by
Mrs. Lament DuPont Copel and
die Garden Club of Wilmington,
Del The fiery plant provided an
unequaled shower of intense ted to
brighten anyone’s day.
All Photos
By Andy Andrews