Duane Kelly, chairman of Salmon Bay Events, made an announcement this morning that surprised many people in the industry — that the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, and the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, will both end with their 2009 editions, unless he can find a buyer for them. From the official press release:

“My wife Alice and I have decided that this year’s event will be our last as organizers and we are pulling out all of the stops to make it the best on record. We’ve enjoyed every minute of the past 21 years but are ready to pursue some other passions,” Kelly said. “We had hoped to sell the shows to buyers that are committed to maintaining their level of quality. However, to date, we have been unsuccessful.”

As it stands now, the final Northwest Flower & Garden Show will be held Feb. 18-22 at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle. For more information on the two shows, see www.gardenshow.com.

ADD: Coverage in the Seattle Times.