never fail sign of spring

Not the snow melting... or the birds chirping... or the days getting longer...

It's the Philadelphia Flower Show.

This year everyone really outdid themselves with the theme, Passport to the World. The globe on the hot air balloon above was made out of roses and pansies, and was the first thing you saw as you entered the hall.

There was a giraffe, with orchids for spots (Africa)...

And a sphagnum moss elephant (India), with different-colored lentils used to make the design on her blanket (thanks to my dad for that bit of trivia; he volunteers to lead tours every year, and hooks us up with tickets and the inside scoop on the exhibits, quite a nice benefit)...

A fabulous hot springs lizard worked in copper (New Zealand)...

Flamingos made of carnations (the rain forest)...

Calla lilies, frozen in blocks of ice (OK, not so spring-like, but too cool not to share)...

But two displays really stood out in my mind for creativity. The first consisted of multiple glass containers, suspended by fishing line from a square frame. Can you see the ocean, the beach and the snow-capped mountain? Simply stunning.

The second was made of shipping containers, those ugly things you see stacked by the thousands in Port Elizabeth. They were opened and filled with mirrors and flowers; you could even walk through two of them. (It was especially hard to get a good picture of this one due to the scale of the exhibit.)

And my favorite for entries by individuals... the pressed flower art. No more hobbies for me, but if I had a spare 100 hours in the day, this one would definitely be on the list. Look at the reflection of the building in the water

Even the little kids got in on it. This entry was made by a kid under age 10.

Hope you are seeing signs of spring in your own neighborhood! It's supposed to snow here tomorrow, but I'm not fooled. Spring has started its relentless march. And if you are in the neighborhood and can get to the Flower Show, don't miss it. It is the best one in years.