Once a year Cyle Eldred, Northwest show manager for Seattle's Salmon Bay Events, performs magic.

But forget rabbits and hats. Eldred -- with a lot of help -- transforms the fourth floor of a cavernous steel, glass and concrete building into a fragrant, flower-filled garden.

All it takes is 60 dump trucks, each filled with dirt and mulch. More trucks to haul in 415,000 pounds of rocks and boulders -- some weighing over three tons each. Oh, and a crew of about 300 workers and landscape designers from Northwest nurseries and garden centers.

Magically, it's all done in just 76 hours.

The building is the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, site of the 20th annual Northwest Flower and Garden Show running Feb. 20-24.

The theme this year is "Live Beautifully, Live Outdoors."

"And while it's too early in the year to do that, the show is a good place to plan, to get in the mood for spring and gardening," Eldred said.

"It's a place for inspiration, ideas, information and to chase away the winter doldrums."

The show, the third largest in North America, features:

-- Twenty-six full-scale display gardens, several with water features.

-- A new exhibit will feature three display patios showcasing the trend in container gardening for condo and apartment dwellers. There also will be 13 container gardens on the sky bridge demonstrating how creative and lavish that type of planting can be.

-- More than 120 free seminars and hands-on demonstrations ranging from "The Ergonomics of Garden Work" to "Installing Retaining Walls" to "Garden Rehab."

Here's a tip: Pick up a seminar pass two hours before it's scheduled. If you present it 15 minutes before the seminar starts, you're guaranteed a seat.

-- In the marketplace area you'll find thousands of garden-related products and services, useful ideas, seeds and plants.

-- There's even an area for kids, or just the young at heart: "Sproutopia." Budding gardeners can plant a pea, tour mini-gardens planted by elementary students or enjoy singing and story time activities on The Sprout Stage.

It doesn't matter if you're a rank amateur when it comes to gardening, or if you have decades of experience. "Everyone will find inspiration, something new to try," Eldred said.

"Come in, smell the hyacinths and recharge. The show is just like a spring garden without the bugs or birds; though we do have a CD of bird songs we play during the show," he said.

Garden show details

Days: Feb. 20-24

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: Advance tickets are $16 for adults if bought by Feb. 19 or $19 at the door. Tickets for youths ages 6 through 12 years are $3; students 25 years and under with valid student identification are $8; children 5 years and under are free. Tickets can be bought in advance through the show Web site or by calling 800-569-2832.

For more information, go to www.gardenshow.com.

* Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com