New England flower shows begin in Feb.

E ach year I rejoice at the coming of the flower shows — they bring a taste of spring. By the time they arrive I’m more than ready for blooming daffodils and tulips; I hunger for leafy trees and shrubs — even indoors.

And I like their ambiance: it’s like strolling down the midway at a country fair — but the products are different. Instead of trying to win a bear, I take a chance buying new and different bulbs or plants I can’t get in the ground for another three months. The hawkers, instead of selling temporary tattoos and Harley T-shirts, are selling garlic peeler/dicers and handy gadgets for cleaning floors.

The season starts Feb. 11-12 with the New Hampshire Orchid Society’s annual show in Nashua, at the Radisson Hotel. Admission is $10, $6 for seniors. It’s a small specialty show, but nice. (www.nhorchids.org.)

The first big one, The Rhode Island Show, occurs Feb. 23-26, and I can’t wait. I went last year for the first time and loved it. They have a wonderful line-up of speakers and educators showing slides and sharing wisdom. There is a real independent bookstore with hundreds of different titles of gardening books — I could stand there all afternoon, just thumbing through them. There are artists, craft producers and — get this — sand castles 10 feet tall. (Someone brings in truckloads of sand and artists make a wonderland of castles with moats and gnomes and fairy princesses. It was fabulous last year, and will be there this year, too.)

Last year the Rhode Island Show had competitions to see who could make the best sculpture using vegetables and fruit. There were garden hats decorated with flowers and — can you believe it? — women’s bathing suits made of leaves and flowers (displayed on mannequins, not gardeners!) There was beautiful stonework for inspiration, and lots and lots of plants — this year there will be 100,000 blossoms, I’m told. They are adding a food and wine section to the show in conjunction with Johnson and Wales College of Culinary Arts, among others. The show is at the Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence. Tickets $18-$15. (www.flowershow.com.)

That weekend (Feb. 24-26) is also the Connecticut Flower Show in Hartford. I went last year after leaving Providence and it was pretty crowded that Saturday. Saturdays anywhere are the busiest, and to be avoided if possible. It had more than 300 booths and 80 workshops to attend over the course of the weekend. This year the theme is “Fabulous Fifties.” Tickets are $16. (www.ctflowershow.com.)

Next comes the Flower and Patio Show in Worcester, Mass., at the DCU Center March 2-4. I’ve never attended, but from what I’ve heard a major emphasis is on patios, outdoor furniture and the like. Tickets are $10. (www.centralmaflowershow.c om.)

The Portland show is March 8-11 at the Portland Co. Complex. Tickets are $15. (www.portlandcompany.com.)

If you don’t mind traveling, the Philadelphia Flower Show is March 4-11. Admission is $27, but the show is huge, and has gorgeous displays. It’s worth a visit if you can afford the trip. (www.theflowershow.com.)

The Boston Flower Show is always a big event. It’s at the Seaport World Trade Center, March 14-18. I went last year and liked it despite the crowds. Admission is $20. There are lots of displays and lots of garden paraphernalia for sale — plan a full day. This year’s theme is “First Impressions”, stressing the “Wow! Factor”. (www.masshort.org.)

New Hampshire has the Seacoast Home and Garden Show each year at the Whittemore Arena in Durham. This year the dates are March 24-25 and tickets cost $8. (www.homegardenflowershow.com.)

Bangor has a show April 6-8 at Bangor Auditorium. Tickets are only $5. (www.bangorgardenshow.com.)

The Vermont show, always one of my favorites, is now held only every other year and is not happening this year.

And for those of you with deep pockets, there is the Chelsea Flower Show in London, England, May 22-26. Definitely on my list of places to go before I kick the bucket. I’ve never been, alas. It sounds incredible. (www.rhs.org.uk/shows.)

I try to go to at least three flower shows each year. There is something about the scent of flowers in winter that draws me in, and there is always much to learn at the lectures and demonstrations. Maybe I’ll see you at one.

HENRY HOMEYER’S website is www.Gardening-guy.com. Go there to see photos of last year’s shows. His email is henry.homeyer@comcast.net.