Mike Corsie, President of Terrapin Landscapes, Dani Laponte, and Jake Pierson,, The Latter Two of Pierson Nurseries, Inc. Terrapin and Pierson Together Won Best in Show for Their Display Garden.

Aynne Doil, Chair of the Hidden Gardens of Munjoy Hill Tour Scheduled for July 9, 2017, Arranged This Bouquet at the Show.

A Flower Garden from the Greenhouses of  Coze Acres.

“People want to see spring and flowers, not just patios,” said Dani LaPointe, this afternoon at the first Maine Flower Show at Thompson’s Point. And they came to the right place.  Thousands came  – both yesterday and this morning – mindful of an impending snow storm making its way up the Maine coast – to Portland. Ms. LaPointe, was part of the garden display team that won Best in Show from among the sixteen garden displays. The Show was organized by the Maine Landscape & Nursery Association, (“MELNA”).

The emphasis was on flowers from the start.  “MELNA told us they wanted the emphasis to be on flowers and plants and they provided each team with a $1,000.00 stipend.  We actually far exceeded that amount,” said Mike Corsie, President, of Terrapin Landscapes., Kennebunkport.  Terrapin performed the labor and Pierson Nurseries, Inc., Dayton, provided the plants for the winning garden display.

That’s where Ms. LaPointe stepped in.  She was given a long list of native plants to research to determine how long it would take to make them “leaf out in bloom.”  The garden finally ended up with sixty (60) plants – all very different – with different heat requirements.  Different heating zones were required in the greenhouse.  And only three non-native flowering plants were used:  hosta, hellebore and lupine.  Although many consider lupine to be native to Maine, it is not said Ms. LaPointe.

The first full day of the Show, Thursday, exceeded all expectations for attendance.  Attendance was 3,500 – far above the 2,500 expected for Day One according to Don Sproul Show Producer.   There was plenty of speculation as to the reason:  the Greater Portland area had gone without a flower show for a year, excitement over the new venue and the word was out that flowering plans had returned to the Show. Of course, the impending snow storm may have brought people out in droves early in the week.

It was reported there was a short back up of traffic on Congress Street and on !-295 early on Thursday morning according to  Sproul’s Day One Recap for participants.  But Show organizers were quick to resolve the issues by adding more parking attendants that started earlier in the morning and adding another bus to the shuttle rotation.

As mhn.com left the Show at 5:30 pm a few snowflakes began to hit the ground running..,,,,the first sign that the predicted April Fool’s Day snow storm had arrived.

For more information, please visit:  themaineflowershow.org