HORTICULTURE
03/13 HERE’S WHERE ALL THE FLOWERS WENT
After 137 years, the annual New England Spring Flower Show ends its streak as the world’s longest-running flower exhibition, as the cash-strapped Massachusetts Horticultural Society puts this March tradition on ice. All’s not lost for petal fans, though: The society has created a more modest series of displays that will brighten buildings throughout the Financial District starting today.
masshort.org

PAYOUTS
03/01 OBAMA APPOINTEE COLLECTS BIGTIME
Confirmed last month for the No. 2 gig at the Pentagon, ex–Raytheon lobbyist William Lynn III becomes eligible today to collect his annual bonus for work done last year on behalf of the Waltham defense contractor. His check could be for as much as $250,000, and may be a dicey reminder of Obama’s decision to relax his "no jobs for lobbyists" rule to install Lynn at the Defense Department. Even Lynn’s six years as an adviser to Ted Kennedy won’t keep progressive Bay Staters from a bit of collective teeth gnashing.

RÉSUMÉ BUILDING
03/02 A FINE TIME TO PERFECT A NEW MARKETABLE TALENT
The Boston Center for Adult Education begins classes today in its gleaming new headquarters on Arlington. And just in time: Officials at the BCAE say the sour economy has Bostonians scurrying to augment their skill sets. The center estimates that enrollment is up 25 percent in professional-development classes, which cover everything from grant writing to graphic design to voice-over artistry to catering.

122 Arlington St., Boston, 617-267-4430, bcae.org

DEADLINES 03/04
Last day for Bernie Madoff victims to file claims with the SEC (if they haven’t noticed those missing millions yet).

RECREATION
03/06–03/08 GETTING A JUMP ON GETTING INTO THE SWING OF THINGS
The preeminent preseason event for New England’s duffers, the National Golf Expo transforms the World Trade Center into a kind of urban pro shop on steroids (complete with a temporary driving range that also qualifies as the region’s largest). In addition to reps and pros from local clubs on hand for lessons and contests, throngs of manufacturers will give visitors a chance to try out the game’s most advanced new gear.

200 Seaport Blvd., Boston, 800-756-7606, paragonexpo.com/213.html

DEMAGOGUERY
03/10 SO LONG, BIPARTISANSHIP. WE HARDLY KNEW YE.
Nice as the country’s fleeting kumbaya moment was, liberal comedian Bill Maher and conservative polemicist Ann Coulter aren’t wasting any time getting back to squabbling as usual—as evidenced by their oil-and-water appearance at the Wang Theatre’s "Minds That Move the World" speaker series.

Citi Performing Arts Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston, 866-348-9738, citicenter.org

CONSIDER THIS
Questions you’ll have reason to ask this month

Is Faneuil Hall going on the block? Desperate times are getting worse for Chicago-based General Growth Properties, which owns the marketplace (as well as the Natick Collection, the shopping/real estate development that’s having a tough go of selling its luxury condos). Swimming in debt and trying to avoid what could be the biggest real estate bankruptcy ever, General Growth is looking to unload properties to raise cash. No word on its plans for Faneuil Hall, but in mid-March hundreds of millions of dollars of loan payments come due, potentially forcing the company’s hand.

Should Tom Finneran get his law license back? The Board of Bar Overseers meets on 3/9 and will discuss how long a suspension from practicing it’ll recommend the Supreme Judicial Court mete out to King Tom, who pleaded guilty to a felony obstruction charge in ’07.

But did he get the hair just right? New Hampshire portrait artist Richard Whitney, given a $30,000 commission by Mitt Romney to paint the portrait of him that will hang in the State House, reports that he’s on track to have the picture finished and framed by the middle of the month. Whitney’s mum on whether Romney reprised the casual woodsman’s pose that Bill Weld struck, but the former governor did sit for the painting at his Wolfeboro vacation home. GEOFFREY GAGNON