Spring arrives early in the Windy City when the Flower and Garden Show opens March 18, 2020, on Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Running through March 22, 2020, hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

“20/20: A Focus on Flowers” has the creators of the show gardens interpreting the unique role that flowers, plants, and gardens play in the story of lives.

The five-day event features 23 life-sized gardens to walk through, daily seminars and workshops, plus a marketplace.

On June 16, 1847, the CHS held its first Exhibition of Fruits and Flowers, where it showcased ornamental plants and displays of prized fruits and flowers. The exposition was a surprise hit. Enthusiastically received by both tradesmen and the general public, the success of this event established the growing role of horticulture in the city’s footprint—a role that continues to flourish to this day. From decade to decade it has moved venues, grown in size and expanded its list of attractions. Today the show welcomes more than 40,000 attendees to the Festival Halls in Navy Pier, where they can experience every facet of horticulture.

(Photos courtesy of Chicago Flower & Garden Show)