The Northwest Flower and Garden Show will bloom again. Duane Kelly, founder of the floral extravaganza, announced last January he was selling the show, the second largest of its kind in the nation. Now he’s finally found a buyer. Portland-based O’Loughlin Trade Shows, Inc, the largest producer of consumer trade shows in the West, stepped up to save the day for the tens of thousands of landscapers and gardeners who celebrate the coming of spring at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center each year by learning gardening facts and tips and drawing inspiration from elaborate displays. Kelly, who owned the show for 21 years, will remain as a consultant.

In a phone interview Kelly said he is excited to see the show’s continued growth. Meanwhile, he will put aside the petal pushing to pursue his playwriting hobby. “I’m 59, and I’m tired. Producing shows of this scale and quality is a very intensive business with a fair amount of financial risk,” he said. “I’m not worried about the show, though. It’s become such a part of the cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest; it’s a signal that we’ve successfully endured winter, and spring is about to arrive.”

—Parisa Sadrzadeh