That wild-eyed woman in mourning apparel was a tip-off that evil was just around the corner. The home and garden shop / design center's event featured Halloween-appropriate plants, props, decorations, Paris gift-show treasures, antiques and one-of-a-kind merchandise -- like a player piano -- for sale, to get ideas from, and just enjoy. Besides incorporating their plants and containers into the exhibit, Roger's design team managed to pull off a sense of mystery and macabre without stomach-churning gore or gimmecky animatronics.
Visitors appeared fascinated, looking up, down and all around; you heard more exclamations of "oooh" and "hey, look over here!" than monster-in-your-face screams. This is an especially smart idea if your Halloween entertaining will include children. You know, those short people in funny costumes who ring your doorbell on October 31st?