San Francisco Flower & Garden Show 2010

People making their first visit to world-class flower & garden shows, such as the Chelsea Flower Show, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and the Philadelphia Flower Show are suprised by the size and magnificence of the garden landscaping.

A world-class flower show is a huge complex production. The San Francisco flower show uses 1,200 cubic yards of sawdust and mulch for the gardens (that's about 150 dump truck-loads) and 280,000 pounds of rock. The trucks bringing in the flowers & plants for the gardens come from all up and down the West Coast. More than 300 theatrical lighting instruments are hung from the ceiling above the gardens.

Creating the gardens is the most complex part of the show. Planning for them begins nine months before the show. The gardens are like the actors, scenery and music in an opera, ballet or play. Just as those elements are the most expensive part of those artistic productions, the landscaped gardens are the most complex part of a garden show.