The Bud ’n Bloom Garden Club attended the “Plantasia” Garden and Landscaping Show at the Erie County Fair Exhibition Hall. Pictured, left to right, front row: Marie Zambotti, Sally Newell, Sue Drag, Janet Centner, Vicki Notaro, Karen Ryder, Lucy Hurley. Back row: Angie Leone, Sue Alonge.

Members of the Bud ‘n Bloom Garden Club met in March at the Planet Fitness parking lot in Dunkirk for carpooling purposes for their annual trip to attend the “Plantasia” Garden and Landscaping Show at the Erie County Fair Exhibition Hall. Chairwoman Sally Newell met the group there.

The variety of labor intensive, mini-landscapes never ceases to amaze the ladies. Truckloads of soil, full-grown trees and bushes, building structures, water features and huge boulders and stone pathways are hauled in for this annual show.

This year’s display did not disappoint the club members. Coming indoors from the cold and wind, it was a real treat to be surrounded by spring-summertime visions.

Flowers were in bloom. Water features flowed and splashed. New gardening ideas were displayed.

A favorite display was created by Tripi’s Landscaping. They made a gray block pathway that meandered through a “forest” of tall pine trees interlaced with changing lights blinking on a timer.

A tall, A-shaped camping hut, complete with a campfire and camping gear was nestled in among the trees. A life-sized moose sculpture peeked out at the visitors.

Another popular garden creation included two rock-encircled ponds, a wooden fence, steps and raised patio all built on the site. The patio afforded visitors a perfect view of the flower-laden landscape below.

An unusual mini-garden highlighted a little playhouse with a straw roof that reminded the public of the “Three Little Pigs” story. Tall maple trees, a pergola and plantings encouraged everyone to travel along the path and tour the wooden display.

Water features were very popular. One garden featured a huge vase with water bubbling and flowing over its rim and disappearing into the stones below.

Water gurgled out of concrete walls in front of a large white face sculpture, and in ponds.

Everywhere garden ferns, bushes and flowers were healthy and vibrant. Roses, begonias, tulips and forsythia were featured and added color and interest.

Seminars were planned throughout the four days of the show. A multitude of vendors were selling garden decorations and tools, food items, jewelry, clothes, services and a lot more.

Before leaving this wonderland of beauty and inspiration, the group posed for a photo.

Sue Drag had made lunch reservations at J.P. Fitzgerald’s Irish Restaurant in Hamburg. The dining room was ornately decorated with balloons and Irish decor, ready for St. Patrick’s Day.

The ladies will be planting small plantlets in their garden containers on April 14 at 4:15 p.m. at Barnes Greenhouse in Sheridan.

The spring banquet will be in May at the White Inn. Sally Newell will be the chairlady.