FLOWER POWER

Garden show opens at HVCC

TROY, N.Y. » The Capital District Garden & Flower show returned to the McDonough Sports Complex at Hudson Valley Community College on Friday.

The annual event, which is marking 31 years, takes place at the facility through Sunday

The gardens are the main attraction, as the event features 17,000 sq. ft of full scale landscape exhibits. There is also be a Floral Design Competition, open to professional floral designers, garden club members, amateurs, and students. The garden Marketplace features plants & seeds, supplies and equipment, tools, hardscapes, outdoor furniture, and more for purchase. Guests also can see demonstrations and lectures by several guest speakers.

The event will continue from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. Tickets are available for purchase and are $14 at the door, free for kids under the age of 12 with a paid adult, or $20 for a two- day pass. Parking is free.

PHOTOS BY DANIELLE EPTING, FOR THE RECORD Peak Environmental’s interactive landscape exhibit “Smart Landscapes,” which provides tablets for guests to manage the lights, irrigation system, and water features in real time.

Below left, Weathered Wood’s “Art in the Garden” exhibit, featuring driftwood that has been twisted and turned into unique forms and shapes.

Top left, bulbs for sale by Your Garden Specialist, owned by Jacky Hoodendorn and Patrick van der Akker.