Flower Show 101 (Part 1)

Falmouth landscape designer Paul Miskovsky had a busy flower show season in 2010. In February, he exhibited in the Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show, garnering Best in Show and the Allen Haskell Award. A month later, he was at the Boston Flower and Garden Show, where he earned three awards.

No stranger to such recognition, Miskovsky has participated in flower shows for over three decades — first as a volunteer with Haskell, and later on his own.

On a recent snowy morning, I met up with Paul to get an insider's perspective: from an exhibit's initial concept to the preview party.

Last year's Boston Flower Show had barely left the floor of the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston when Paul began planning his exhibit for this year. Undaunted by the tricky aspects of forcing roses, transporting fragile delphinium and loading up the five or so truckloads of material needed to create his design, he approaches flower shows as a labor of love, with an emphasis on having fun.

Aside from the sheer enjoyment, Miskovsky's exhibits make good business sense. True, the benefits may not be immediate, but they've been reliable. Ten years ago, a couple saw a Miskovsky display at a show and promised themselves they'd hire him when they were ready to tackle a landscaping project. They sought him out this year. 

When Miskovsky commits to a show, he said, he factors in the economy, plant material and current landscaping styles.

"What are the trends?" he asked. "And what can you bring to the floor on your own?"

In the spirit of innovation, he's injected xeriscape, a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant form of landscaping, into regional landscaping design — an example of which graces the entrance to . 

"A Burst of Color: Celebrating the Container Garden," the theme of the 2011 Boston Flower Show, is an opportunity for Miskovsky to add the unexpected to a popular trend. He persuaded David Haskell, Allen's son, to collaborate with him, as he has done in the past. Haskell is an expert at forcing plant material and is accomplished at container gardening. If you go to the show, look for Meyer lemons in 4-foot by 4-foot containers and 8-foot-tall camellias.

Containers, Miskovsky said, are less intimidating way for someone to start gardening and to gain experience.

"Ten containers equal a garden," he said, adding that creating and revamping plant combinations aren't as involved as in the case of a traditional garden. 

A flower show exhibit is a multi-dimensional learning experience. Miskovsky said he enjoys taking on a teacher's role, conveying the message that gardening is an approachable art.

Miskovsky Landscaping, Inc. is based in Falmouth.