Roses have been growing since last December, so they will be in bloom and ready to dazzle at the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show, presented by Mariano's, that runs March 14-22 at Navy Pier.
There will be a variety of rose colors and numerous types, including a focus on many disease-resistant roses and easy-to-grow roses. There will be two rose gardens, and the show has not even had one rose garden in at least 10 years, organizers said.
"People love roses; they are among the most popular flowers in the U.S., if not the world," said Tony Abruscato, the Chicagoan who is the president of Flower Show Productions and, for the fourth consecutive year, the director of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. He has been involved with the yearly show for the past nine years.
Despite the popularity of the rose, Abruscato said people "always afraid to grow them, so we're going to try to de-mystify growing roses."
Representatives from the American Rose Society also will be on hand at the show to answer questions.
Abruscato said they worked for several years to include the rose so prominently in the show.
Flower Show Productions plans, organizes and produces special events in the Chicagoland area, and its flagship event is the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, which marks the transition from winter to spring. The roots of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show can be traced as far back as 1847, organizers said.
"We're really excited for this year's show," said Abruscato, who is openly gay and celebrates his 51st birthday on March 11. "We've added a bunch of new elements [to the show] and added to some of our existing things, particularly for young kids and families, which is exciting."
The show's focus this year is plant variety and color.
"After this cold, cold Chicago winter, particularly this [past] February, people will see an amazing amount of color," Abruscato said.
This seems to be especially true concerning the roses, as there will be more than 1,600 of the plants at the event.
Also this year, the show will have expanded educational opportunities, including discussions on subjects such as indoor house plants.
Other elements of this year's show include demonstrations on the popular small-space/fairy-gardening options, as well as a Proven Winters variety garden section. Also, there will be three or four more activities for kids, such as an opportunity to make their own bug habitat, seed planting, and more, Abruscato said.
"We're one of the only [floral] shows in the U.S. in which you can really get up close to the flowers," he said.
The hyacinth lounge, for instance, featured eight varieties at the show in 2013, and 16 last year. This time, there will be 24 different colors.
There will be about 60 different color varieties of tulips on display.
"It's been so cold that I really think Chicagoans want that touch of spring and summer, and one of the ways to do that is with the multitude of flower colors," Abruscato said.
Abruscato said Chicago's biting cold this winter likely will impact people's at-home perennials. For instance, they may bloom later in the spring. Also impacted might be shrubs and bushes, he said. "But since it likely is going to take longer for the ground to thaw, that puts more moisture in the ground, so that's a positive of the cold."
Abruscato predicted that floral-lovers likely won't see too much of a difference at local stores due to the cold Chicago winter. But the opposite might be the case at garden centers.
"If people have never experienced the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, you can't really get a grasp of it until you actually come here and see the magnitude of the show," Abruscato said. "[The show] is gay-owned and -operated, and we have several LGBT builders and designers that are participating."
Find out more about the show at www.chicagoflower.com .
