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After 21 years, the Northwest Flower & Garden Show might not make it through another hibernate.

Founding owner Duane Kelly wants to try to obtain other interests and is seeking a buyer to take over the show — the second largest of its kind in the United States and, for many in the Northwest, a colorful reprieve from late winter’sitting gloom.

If he doesn’t find a buyer willingly, Kelly says, he testament close the show for dutiful after a five-day run next month at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in downtown Seattle.

Talks with a dozen possible buyers in the past four months haven’privately led to a deal, Kelly reported, partly because of the bad economy.

“For a variety of reasons,” he said, “the fit wasn’t right, or the timing wasn’t right. The metropolis markets are tough.”

Tens of thousands of people attend the appear each year, to see its mature plant and tree displays, hear speakers from around the world and stock up on springtime supplies.

Despite a novel downturn in attendance, the show outdraws all similar U.S. gardening events except Philadelphia’s flower show, which began in 1829.

For those who go, the Seattle show has be transformed into an advance rite of spring in February, “when we’re all in this way starved for color and flowers,” said Valerie Easton, who writes a garden column for Pacific Northwest magazine. “You see people whole transversely downtown carrying potted orchids and cut branches of pussy willows. They’re just captivating that spring pointedly with them.”

Kelly’s Ballard company, Salmon Bay Events, is listing the Seattle demonstrate along with the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, which it also owns, for between $1 million and $2 million. The price includes Salmon Bay’s rod of nine people, trademarks, purchaser lists and long-term-venue agreements.

Kelly, 59, said he wants to point of convergence on a new career writing plays and to devote more time to his wife, Alice. He aforesaid he has until late March to find a buyer, since that’s when planning for the next year would need to begin.

“I had to look reaching far down inside myself before I made this decision,” he said, “but it’session time for me to propel on.”

Kelly said Seattle attendees buy, on average, $100 worth of lawn and garden products at the show, making it some important selling opportunity for regional merchants during an otherwise lingering time of the year.

The show also functions as an annual reunion for serious, or not-so-serious, gardeners.

“I’ll miss it terribly,” said Dan Hinkley, a gardening consultant and secretary who founded and later sold Kitsap County’s internationally known Heronswood Nursery. “It’s equal homecoming each year … walking the floor and seeing all the familiar faces.”

The show itself makes coin from vendor fees, ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, Kelly said. The show took in $1.8 very great number in 2008, little else than the anterior year, as record sponsorships offset a continued decline in attendance. Last year’sitting show attracted 54,000 folks, down from a peak of 84,000 in 1999.

“It’session always been a very positive thing for us,” said Wally Kerwin, owner of Swansons Nursery in north Seattle. “I think people are not going to shows being of the kind which much as they used to, but the real gardening enthusiasts are still coming.”

Nationally, several trends are hurting the gardening walk of life, including the aging of baby boomers, some of whom are swapping big homes on wooded lots concerning in-town condominiums and dual-income families by less time to spend outdoors, experts say.

In 2007, an estimated 82 million U.S. households participated in at least one type of gardening activity, 3 the great body of the people fewer than the previous five-year average, according to the National Gardening Association.

Easton credits Kelly with trying to grant the Seattle show relevant to new generations, emphasizing such things during the time that urban-style gardens and recyclables. Still, at 56, Easton tends to be excited like one of the youngsters in attendance.

“That just indulgent of tells you what’s going on with gardening,” she said. “It’s very rare that I’m one of the younger people in a room — but gardening events, yea.”

The splendor takes up five floors at the assembly center and is the largest annual event in terms of attendance, said John Christison, the venue’s president and whole manager. Smaller business gatherings, such as a Microsoft convention, typically generate more money for the center, but the show “holds a great distribute cards of cachet,” Christison said.

“It’sitting a gorgeous ceremony, and people really love it,” he before-mentioned. “We would loathe to see it go, but Duane is of the inclination that he wants to irritate in continuance, and I rate that.”

Because February tends to be a popular month for business gatherings, Christison added, filling the appear’s dates by a different affair shouldn’t have being too tough.

Kelly said he’sitting optimistic about this year’s attendance, suggesting that people will want to brighten up their winter even more than usual for the reason that of the dark economy. “People might not exist going to Hawaii or Europe, but they still want to get out and do things,” he said.

The economy is hurting the show in other ways, though: Corporate sponsorships are down more than 50 percent from endure year, Kelly said. About 300 exhibitors plan to partake, the same as last year.

“This is a tough year after the economy tanked, and that increases the pressure on me,” he before-mentioned. “At my age, that pressure is not as appealing as it once was.”

Kelly said the Seattle and San Francisco shows might have fetched up to $8 very great number 10 years ago.

“No undivided could go out and start from scratch these two shows and nurture them to profitability for else than what I’m asking,” he said. “I’m hoping someone last will and testament step forward and keep these shows going in the same state our great-grandchildren be able to enjoy them.”

Amy Martinez: 206-464-2923 or amartinez@seattletimes.com

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