Take a mini spring break at the NW Flower & Garden Festival

For those of us who feel the need for a getaway or inexpensive mid-winter escape, the answer could be as close as downtown Seattle.

Driving the news: The hugely popular Northwest Flower & Garden Festival returns to the Seattle Convention Center today through Sunday.

• Touring the more than 30 jaw-dropping garden displays at the "Spring Vibes Only" themed event is almost a mini-vacation or retreat in itself.
• Seminars, hands-on workshops and a container-garden showdown between master gardeners and PNW horticulture celebrities such as Ciscoe Morris and Mary-Kate Mackey may further spark imaginative flights of fancy.

Why it matters: People are looking for an emotional connection to the natural world, Landen Moore of Nature Perfect Landscaping & Design told Axios Seattle. Busy lives can make that hard to cultivate, but it's more important than ever, he said.

• His "Falling Water Greenhouse" display "shows people how beautiful things can be," he said.

Details: Among the large displays — created in less than 72 hours by the featured landscapers — are:

• A Cascade Mountain woodland setting by Adam Gorski Landscapes.
• A fragrance-focused sanctuary by Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden and an edible garden by Hello Garden LLC.
• An “Encanto”-inspired display of orchids from nearly every continent on earth by the local, non-profit Northwest Orchid Society.
• A shade garden by West Seattle Nursery.

Pro tip: For folks who are willing to go in the afternoon, try the $13 half-day pass.