Our fantastic community columnist Kathleen Merryman, known as Kits to all of us who know and love her, stopped by the Northwest Flower & Garden show today. Here are a few of her musings and tips, a very fun read:

As a shameless garden groupie, I was delighted to meet Jenny Butchart's great-granddaughter at the Butchart Gardens booth.

Robin Lee Clarke is working the booth with two of the gardeners and the historian. All three are great fun and have lots of info and stories, plus Butchart bags for your literature, and half-off coupons.

Tip for scoring loot: You'll get a plastic card with your ticket. Visit the display gardens, big and small, pick your favorites and go to the survey kiosk before you hit the sales booths. Stick the card in, vote, answer a few questions, and the machine will start spewing coupons for things like discounts and free garden gloves & seeds. You have to redeem the coupons at the show.

Fair Trade Alert: MangoMango has bags woven of recycled & dyed pop bottle plastic. They'll tell you where they came from and how they're affecting women's lives there. Great, sturdy shopping bags at 2 for $10.

And don't miss the metal plaques from Haiti at Beyond Borders. They're made from recycled oil drums, and they're earning a living wage for the artisans who make them using only hammers and nails. $4 for a small heart. $30 for a foot-square carving of birds in a tree. $195 for a very large, intricate piece. Birds, mermaids, fish, hearts, crosses, wild animals.