The first day

of spring is one month away and gardeners and horticulturists are gearing

up for a productive spring.

The Southeastern

Flower Show, which returns this week to the Atlanta Exposition Center,

is one of the first signs that green thumbs everywhere are getting ready

to play in the dirt again.

The 2002 Southeastern

Flower Show features 30 landscape and educational gardens, 1,500 judged

entries, speakers, demonstrations, workshops, a 100-booth market place,

a tea room, a food court and a bookstore filled with gardening literature.

The theme of

this year's show is "Garden Treasures" and is a celebration

of everything treasured about gardening with everyone from professional

landscape designers to amateurs expressing what they love about gardening.

There will be guided tours at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Back this year

is the Family Frolic, which will take place Friday, Feb. 22 from 3:30-8

p.m. Children, parents, grandparents and teachers are invited to share

in the hands on fun of floral arranging and arts and crafts. There will

also be entertainment during the event.

Fans of last

year's flower show may also remember the SFS Tearoom. The Ritz Carlton,

Atlanta will provide visitors with the opportunity to relax and enjoy

petite sandwiches, crumpets and imported teas. Seatings are daily at 11

a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Seating is by reservation only. Admission

to the tearoom is $25.

The biggest

draw, however, for serious gardeners is the speakers and workshops. Patrons

to the 2002 Southeastern Flower Show can meet a variety of speakers, including

Vince Dooley and local gardener extraordinaire Walter Reeves. There will

be workshops and seminars on a variety of topics including koi ponds,

horticulture therapy, bamboo and more.

The show will

be at the Atlanta Exposition Center Feb. 20-24. Admission is $15 at the

door. A two-day ticket costs $20. Children 4-16 will be admitted for $5.

Proceeds will benefit the Atlanta Botanical Garden and will support their

education and conservation programs. The Atlanta Exposition Center is

just east of Hartsfield Airport, Exit 55 off I-285. Phone 404-888-5638.

Back

to the Top of the Page