An early spring in Providence

February 15, 2009|Short hops

PROVIDENCE - Boston's blockbuster New England Spring Flower Show might be on hiatus this year, but backyard warriors can still get a fix of spring in the middle of winter. Everything is coming up roses - at least figuratively - starting Thursday when the Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show takes over the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence for four days.

With a "Gardens of the World" theme, this 16th annual edition aims to satisfy both the craving for spring and a longing to escape to exotic locales. The display gardeners might be New Englanders, but their exhibits show how it's done in places like the south of France, Italy's Tuscany region, Spain, and even the Australian outback.

Lectures and demonstrations (some repeating daily) include both the pragmatic and the poetic. Dig into the details of selecting roses for a New England garden, or hear one of our favorite horticultural entertainers, Roger Swain, hold forth on "If You Can Eat It, Grow It." More than 200 vendors are also expected to be on hand, hawking everything from obscure garden tools to bird baths, fountains, and garden furniture. Why not dream of swinging in a hammock with a glass of lemonade or putting your feet up in the jasmine-scented night air?

Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show, Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence; 401-272-0980; www.flowershow.com. Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday till 6. General admission $17, seniors $15, children ages 6-12 $7.

PATRICIA HARRIS