BLOOMING INTO SPRING
32nd annual Capital District Garden & Flower Show continues Sunday at HVCC
TROY, N.Y. » Old Man Winter isn’t going down without a fight.
But thousands of area residents are enjoying the promise of spring this weekend at the Capital District Garden & Flower Show that continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Hudson Valley Community College.
Highlights include beautiful floral and landscape exhibits, more than 160 commercial vendors, and numerous classrooms led by experts on topics ranging from proper pruning techniques to attracting birds and pollinators.
“We love doing this show every year,” said Eric Czerw, owner of Clifton Park-based Bio-Fusion Designs, which specializes in aquariums, ponds, and water features. “We see a lot of familiar faces and meet a lot of new people as well. It’s just a welcome to spring.”
His display has a fullblown reef tank with live coral raised at the firm’s local base of operations.
“We’ve expanded our aquaculture facility to allow for greater propagation of live coral to make it available to the trade and hobby in a safe way that’s not taken from the ocean,” Czerw said. “This is all tank-ready stuff that is used to aquarium conditions and light, so the chances of it doing well, surviving and thriving even in a beginner’s aquarium is very good.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Danny Killion, of Troy, created a “Sculpture Garden Adventure” featuring life- size horses made with driftwood found along the Hudson River.
wood found along the Hudson River.
“These horses have actual names, Samantha and Hudson. The first two were Helen and Troy,” Killion said, smiling. “I just wanted to do something a little more off the beaten path, a little different.”
The show’s theme is “Vintage” so sand sculptor Phil Singer, of Amsterdam, fashioned a giant overflowing wine bottle, complete with small figures dressed in oldfashioned apparel, an oak barrel, and huge grapes.
“I’ve got a little over 30 hours in it right now,” he said. “I started Monday and I’m going to be working on it throughout the show. I’m going to do more grapes and vines, and maybe add another barrel — showing people what I do so they can get an idea [of] how it’s done.”
He learned the delicate art of sand sculpting during visits to his grandmother in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“I’m working here with sandy loam that I dug right out of the ground,” Singer said. “It’s got some organic matter in there that allows you to pack it better. It’s not like beach sand. You can get this kind of detail with beach sand, but you can’t the upright, vertical structure this has. This allows you to get the height you need.”
He even managed to color red wine pouring out of the bottle, and a lady’s pink hoop-style dress.
“You have to plan ahead,” Singer said. “The barrel was done after I colored those things. You have to work your way down from the top.”
Singer’s work is admired at many other sites and events throughout the region including such as the Proctor’s Theater Summer Night Celebration and Fonda Fair.
A landscape display by Malta-based WM Design- Scapes is called “Impressions of Giverny,” based on renowned impressionist painter Claude Monet’s famous garden in Giverny, France.
The exhibit has a series of replica homestead features and facades, a replica bridge and water feature.
Now in its 32nd year, a portion of Garden & Flower Show ticket proceeds benefit Wildwood Programs, which empower and enable children and adults with neurologically-based learning disabilities, autism, and other developmental disorders to lead independent, productive and fulfilling lives.
Throughout the weekend, visitors have been able to vote for their favorite floral display and landscape exhibit. Results will be announced at 3 p.m. Sunday.
“The calendar says spring, but Mother Nature never really listens or cooperates so this allows the Capital Region to feel like it’s spring, even when it’s not outside,” said Penny Gonzalez, event manager.
For information go to www. gardenandf lowershow.com.