New England's Largest Spring Flower Show

The New England Spring Flower Show, last held in 2008, was a New England springtime tradition for 137 years. After a year without a major flower show in Boston in 2009, Paragon Group introduced the Boston Flower & Garden Show featuring the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Blooms! design and cultivation competition. In 2012, they'll team once again to provide New England garden enthusiasts with a breath of spring at the region's largest indoor spring flower show.

See Photos of the Inaugural Boston Flower & Garden Show

Here are some quick facts for you if you'd like to attend this year's gardening and growing extravaganza:

Dates: March 14-18, 2012

Public Hours: Wednesday, March 14 - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Thursday, March 15 - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday, March 16 - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 17 - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sunday, March 18 - 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

2012 Theme: First Impressions

Location: The Boston Flower & Garden Show and Blooms! 2012 will take place at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.

Admission: Admission to the Boston Flower & Garden Show is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 65 and over, $10 for children ages 6 to 17 and free for children under age 6. Tickets may be purchased on site or online in advance. Discounted $16 group tickets are available for advance purchase in quantities of 20 or more. Call Peg Rose at 781-237-5533, ext. 103 for group ticket sales information. Massachusetts Horticultural Society members are admitted free. A membership may be purchased online.

Preview Party: A benefit Preview Party is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Seaport World Trade Center. Tickets are $125 per person, and an order form may be downloaded online. Proceeds benefit the Boston Parks and Recreation Department.

Boston Flower & Garden Show 2012 Highlights: Must-sees for 2012 include:

• The design competitions: "They're inventive and whimsical, and the designers are always incorporating things like potatoes and fly swatters into their arrangements," says Meg Muckenhoupt, author of Boston's Gardens & Green Spaces (Compare Prices).
• Celebrity guest: John Gidding, host of Curb Appeal: The Block on HGTV, will demonstrate easy garden makeovers on Friday, March 16.
• The lectures: Many educational lectures are offered during the Boston Flower & Garden Show's run. Intriguing offerings this year include: Vegetable Gardening Made Simple – And Beautiful (Thursday), How to Take Great Garden Photos (Thursday), Party Starting Apps from the Garden (Friday) and Body Flowers & Bling (Sunday).

Hotel Packages: Although specific hotel packages in conjunction with Blooms! and the Boston Flower & Garden Show have not been announced, the Seaport Hotel is conveniently located across the street from the Seaport World Trade Center.

More Boston Hotels

Questions? Call toll free, 800-258-8912.

A Look Back: Enjoy this 1999 New England Spring Flower Show Photo Tour.

More from New England Travel

Looking for more New England travel information? Start with the New England Travel home page, where you'll find current features and links to the best of the Net for all of your travel planning needs.

Don't miss our free email newsletter, About New England Travel, which keeps you up to date on what's happening in the region. Subscribe today!

Read the Latest Stories from your New England Travel Guide