Poor show

[Xinfu]

“I’m sure, Watson, a week in the country will be invaluable to you,” he remarked. “It is very pleasant to see the first green shoots upon the hedges and the catkins on the hazels once again. With a spud, a tin box, and an elementary book on botany, there are instructive days to be spent.” He prowled about with this equipment himself, but it was a poor show of plants which he would bring back of an evening. ========================
Does it mean plants that have withered?

[Rusty]

It means that there were not a lot of plants that were brought back.

[Xinfu]

Thank you~