Spring begins today at the 2001 Cincinnati Home and Garden Show at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center, which features garden, landscaping and building products, home furnishings and accessories.

        The show's theme is “The Secret Garden,” and each exhibitor interprets that image with his or her imagination. No two displays are alike, although two rules have been followed.

Landscape architect Mark Lawhorn places an acanthus in the Pairi-Daeza Design garden. ([name of photographer] photo) | ZOOM |

        “In addition to creating a design based on the show's theme,” says Doug Hart, president of show producer Hart Productions, “each vendor is required to have a 6-foot high wall constructed within or behind their booth,” to give the displays a more natural look.

        The show features four sections, spread within the center's 30,000 square feet. An exhibit from Natorp's Inc., complete with front porch facade, is on the western side of the Landscape Gardens section of the Flower and Garden Promenade. This is the company's 31st year with the show.

        “When we found out what this year's theme was,” says Ron Zielinski of Natorp's, “we decided to create three gardens instead of just one to represent the three seasons of growing. So we have generational gardens: the Child's Garden, which features the spring flowers of forsythia, pansies and hyacinths; the Mother's Garden, with vegetables, an herb garden and annuals like petunias, geraniums, things you see in the summer, and, finally, a garden for grandma with a wishing well, rocking chair and chrysanthemums.”

IF YOU GO

What: 2001 Cincinnati Home and Garden Show     When: Today-March 4. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. today and next Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday and March 4, 5-9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and noon-9 p.m. Wednesday and Friday. Closed Monday.     Where: Albert B. Sabin Convention Center, downtown.     Cost: $8.50, $2.50 children 13 and younger.     Information: 281-0022; www.hartproductions.com

        The show's Summer Living Pavilion offers a peek at summer living outdoors with patio furniture, barbecue grills and the latest in pool design.

        The Building and Remodeling Promenade features ideas for giving your home a facelift and a look at innovative products.

        The Fine Furnishings Promenade has original and hand-crafted pieces for the home. One of the vendors is third-year show veteran Interior Services Inc. (ISI) of Forest Park, which specializes in home office design.

        “Our store's motto is "However You Work, Wherever You Work,' ” says ISI's Dawn Dutcher Schwartzman. “Our booth is constructed using Herman Miller's airy and innovative Resolve office system.”

        David Kennedy, author of Feng Shui for Dummies (IDG Books; $19.95), will answer questions at the ISI exhibit 1-4 p.m. today and Sunday.”

        Next weekend,the show will “bloom” to the convention center's third floor with gardening seminars, a garden market and a gourmet food show.
       

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