Fall Home & Garden Show comes to town
The show will feature smart home technology, gardening experts
Though it might not feel like autumn in Central Florida, the Orlando Fall Home & Garden Show is back with gardening workshops, smart home technology, cooking demonstrations, tiny home tours and more.
The show, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, is coming to the Orange County Convention Center Friday to Sunday.
As guests wander the expansive exhibit floor, they can find products and services from pools to entertainment solutions to kitchenware and landscape displays. In addition, attendees can explore seminars on topics ranging from termites to home protection from natural disasters and many topics in between.
Notable speakers include Ahmed Hassan, former host of DIY Network’s Yard Crashers, smart home expert Boyce Thompson and Chip Wade, a celebrity carpenter who has appeared on a number of HGTV shows.
Smart home technology is becoming increasingly common in people’s homes and at consumer shows. According to a study by Parks Associates, a firm specializing in market research, 26% of U.S. broadband households report owning at least one smart home device.
While that number doesn’t yet comprise a majority of Americans, smart home gadgets have been on the rise during the past several years and are gaining popularity.
Thompson, who has written three books on residential design and construction, said the smart home tech market is hot, especially for the most practical gadgets.
“The market has kind of settled down a little bit. The stuff that remains has the potential to save you money, and some smart home stuff can save you about $200 a month,” Thompson said. “The things that people like the most include the front door camera… People love the garage door app that will tell you if you left the door open, then you can close the door on the road.”
Wireless security cameras are also a hot-button item in helping homeowners achieve a sense of safety and, in some cases, lower insurance rates. Smart speakers such as Alexa and Google Home continue to be popular, as do smart lights and thermostats.
Thompson will be hosting a booth with his top 10 picks of new smart home gadgets, but he’ll also be the speaker for seminars on more pressing matters. His new book, “Designing for Disaster,” focuses on how to
If you go
The 10th Anniversary Orlando Fall Home & Garden Show is coming to the Orange County Convention Center North Hall B (9400 Universal Blvd. in Orlando) from Friday to Sunday. The show is open from 12-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets are $8; seniors ages 65 and up and retired military members get in for $7. Guests ages 16 and younger, school district employees, active duty military and first responders get in for free. Find more information at showtechnology.com. build and modify a home to become immune to flooding in the era of climate change and severe weather.
“I’m going to give people some real, actionable advice about flood proofing,” Thompson said. “If you were building a new home, for what you’d otherwise spend on granite countertops, you can build a house that won’t blow down in high wind.”
When he isn’t pondering how to save homeowners from the effects of climate change, Thompson spends his time finding the most exciting new smart gadgets to showcase at home shows. His current favorites include a flatbread-making robot, a solar-powered weeding robot and an oven that uses artificial intelligence to make, say, the perfect batch of cookies.
Outside of the home, some speakers, such as Ahmed Hassan, are dedicated to making sure the “garden” portion of the show is sufficiently covered.
“It’s soil, plants, aesthetic, production and ideally, helping people to be more successful,” Hassan said. “I’m trying to be there to be dynamic, funny, entertaining and charismatic. Ultimately, you’re going to learn.”
He has worked as a landscape professional for more than 30 years and hosted DIY Network’s Yard Crashers for years. Hassan now uses his knowledge to run his landscaping business in California and help people when he travels to home and garden shows.
“I start with the basics, like how plants take up water,” Hassan said. “What is compost? How do you actually get rid of weeds? I talk about all of this stuff for anyone who takes care of plant material or landscaping.”
During his seminars, he also hands out prizes and takes time for questions and answers.
“Ultimately I just want to have a good time with people, I want them to learn and I want them to go home with things because when they get freebies, they feel good,” Hassan said.