Ann Arbor Flower Show Is a Sure Sign of Spring
Ann Arbor flower show is a sure sign of Spring
Water gardening is the theme of this year’s show
By JUDSON BRANAM
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
and SUSAN ]ANE GILMAN
NEWS SPECIAL WRITER
Our recent balmy weather isn’t the only sign of spring.
Another sure sign of the season in the annual Ann Arbor Flower and Garden show, which opens this Thursday and continues through Sunday.
The theme of this year’s show is “A Little Water Music,” which demonstrates how water can be added into gardens - for a result that’s both dramatic and peaceful.
Sponsored by the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, the show is held at the Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.
This year, the show’s centerpiece will be an entryway garden entitled “Up in Michigan,” which will recreate a piece of northern Michigan wilderness - replete with wildflowers, mushrooms, a pond and a waterfall.
The show features some 60,000 square feet of horticulture exhibitions, including landscapes, floral arrangements, gardens, information booths, and vendors of gardening-related merchandise.
Hours for the show are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday. On Sunday, hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday are Senior Days, when people at least 60 years old will get a $1 discount off the admission price of $8 per person. Advance adult tickets are $7, children (ages 4-12) $3, and free admission for children ages 3 and under. Advance tickets are available at all Michigan Kroger stores, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, and area businesses.
A special opening night gala with hors d’oeuvres, music and a private showing is planned for Wednesday evening, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Proceeds will benefit Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
Look for more stories and information about the flower show on Thursday, when The News will publish its Spring Yard and Garden special section.
Inside the special section, you’ll find a guide to the show, a convenient pull-out map and plenty of gardening tips.
For information call the Flower Show office at 998-7002.
To avoid traffic tie-ups or parking problems, the show offers a convenient shuttle bus service.
Buses will leave from the southeast entrance of the Briarwood Mall, located between Jacobson’s and Sears. Visitors should park their cars anywhere in the mall parking lot and proceed to the shuttle area, where a sign will be posted. Visitors taking 1-94 should get off at exit 177 (State Street) and follow signs to the mall.
The shuttle bus service begins Thursday at 8:45 a.m. Service will be available all four days of the show, with buses leaving Briarwood Mall every 15 minutes. The cost is $1 per person for a round trip. Parking at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds is limited and costs $2 per car.