I do enjoy an occasional flower show. The ones I attend, either in Boston or in Portland, ME, provide me with a shot of green and growing during a time of year when I know I've got about another month to 6 weeks of winter followed by about two weeks of mud season. I don't go every year, but I do enjoy them when I attend. Perhaps it's the particular shows I attend, but often the display "gardens" are actually realistic gardens, with a particular time of year emphasized, often spring. I've learned about particular plants that I haven't seen elsewhere. For instance I have Rhododendron viscosum, swamp azalea, in my garden because its scent drew me to a set of them at a long ago Boston Flower and Garden show. I guess I look at them as a form of spectacle as opposed to being literal gardens. From Boston Flower & Garden Show 2013 From Boston Flower & Garden Show 2013 The other places I go to get some green during the winter is any of several commercial or educational greenhouses that are relatively local to me. I also really enjoy visiting real gardens on open garden days, as well as public gardens when I travel. Seeing how others have used the space on garden tours and what plants they have combined is such a personal aspect of gardening.

Texas-Bluebonnet.I had them growing all over my property for about 3 years from the highway department planting them in the median.They are so pretty.

Wildflower. No edit on all of these photos. Thanks for taking time to look at them, as I am just a beginner.

The first plan is better because the area between counters is greater. On paper it probably looks huge to you, but the average woman moves 26" with every step, so the distance from one side to the other is 3 steps. Three feet is the minimum width for a corridor so two people would have to turn sideways if they met in one of these narrow corridors.