Why we are not at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show this year.
Dear Gardening Friends,
Dianna and I have decided to discontinue our exhibit at all Garden Show as of 2018. Having been with the Northwest Flower & Garden Show since its beginning in 1989, B&D Lilies® was one of the last of those original, plant market exhibitors who only offered plants, not gardening gizmos. Our years of displays have been a labor of love as have growing lilies. Miss the "show prices" on selected varieties? See our 40th Anniversary Sale on ALL 6-packs of Oriental lilies, not just for surplus cultivars.
Many of you become friends, people we only saw during show hours, but still friends, friends that have given us much delight with their annual visit to the show. So many of you have allowed us to share not only in your lives but also in the lives of your families and it has been a pleasure in sharing our lives and family with you. Going into the 2017 show, we wondered if it should be our last, and during those five days that February, a number of long time customers came up to us to share how much our lilies had meant to a recently lost spouse or parent, telling us of the hours of beauty and joy our lilies brought into their lives. Some said they attended that show just for a last visit, they came simply to say goodbye and to express how much we meant to them and their loved ones. A few left in tears, a few of them left us in tears. In doing so, as these dear people came in just to say farewell, it was a confirmation that it was also time for our farewell.
Because the show hours had taken a heavier and heavier toll on our bodies each year, we needed to to move on and devote that time and energy to our farm, website, print catalog and blog. With 2017 being a typical show year, we logged 93 hours (each) in a week from setup to tear down. The average age of our crew of eight in 2017 was 65.13 years and we all felt just how hard that concrete floor was on the feet, legs and back. One lady had both hips replaced between 2016 and 2017 so that she could make it for one more year, such is the loyalty and dedication of our crew to whom we owe so much.
So, what now? We intend to keep the mail order portion of B&D Lilies® moving ever forward, starting with this new website design. Dianna will devote “surplus” time to her love of painting and Bob plans to continue doing wood turning on his lathe. To all of our loyal customers, we are just an email or phone call away. Again, our thanks to all of you who in the past have stopped to see us, talk lilies, and share your families and lives with us.
Warmest regards,
Bob & Dianna Gibson Owners, B&D Lilies®
Dianna and I have decided to discontinue our exhibit at all Garden Show as of 2018. Having been with the Northwest Flower & Garden Show since its beginning in 1989, B&D Lilies® was one of the last of those original, plant market exhibitors who only offered plants, not gardening gizmos. Our years of displays have been a labor of love as have growing lilies. Miss the "show prices" on selected varieties? See our 40th Anniversary Sale on ALL 6-packs of Oriental lilies, not just for surplus cultivars.
Many of you become friends, people we only saw during show hours, but still friends, friends that have given us much delight with their annual visit to the show. So many of you have allowed us to share not only in your lives but also in the lives of your families and it has been a pleasure in sharing our lives and family with you. Going into the 2017 show, we wondered if it should be our last, and during those five days that February, a number of long time customers came up to us to share how much our lilies had meant to a recently lost spouse or parent, telling us of the hours of beauty and joy our lilies brought into their lives. Some said they attended that show just for a last visit, they came simply to say goodbye and to express how much we meant to them and their loved ones. A few left in tears, a few of them left us in tears. In doing so, as these dear people came in just to say farewell, it was a confirmation that it was also time for our farewell.
Because the show hours had taken a heavier and heavier toll on our bodies each year, we needed to to move on and devote that time and energy to our farm, website, print catalog and blog. With 2017 being a typical show year, we logged 93 hours (each) in a week from setup to tear down. The average age of our crew of eight in 2017 was 65.13 years and we all felt just how hard that concrete floor was on the feet, legs and back. One lady had both hips replaced between 2016 and 2017 so that she could make it for one more year, such is the loyalty and dedication of our crew to whom we owe so much.
So, what now? We intend to keep the mail order portion of B&D Lilies® moving ever forward, starting with this new website design. Dianna will devote “surplus” time to her love of painting and Bob plans to continue doing wood turning on his lathe. To all of our loyal customers, we are just an email or phone call away. Again, our thanks to all of you who in the past have stopped to see us, talk lilies, and share your families and lives with us.
Warmest regards,
Bob & Dianna Gibson Owners, B&D Lilies®
