Sophisticated Designs and Green Roofs...But Where's the Veg at This Year's Flower and Garden Show?

   I spent the afternoon in the anticipatory hush at the Flower and Garden Show before the curtain goes up tomorrow morning. The  garden creators left the floor to the judges - along with Ray Larson and Keith Geller,I was judging for Pacific Horticulture magazine. Which gave me a chance to see all the gardens close up in their most pristine state - with no one else around.

First impressions: There are some sophisticated gardens this year, despite the "Once Upon A Time" theme rather than because of it. Green roofs abound, on everything from tiny huts to arbors and a huge metal arch overhung with bronze carex trailing down.The hardscaping and water features seemed more subtle and less aggressive than some years. I liked the luminous spheres floating in several ponds better than all the  wildly gushing and spouting fountains of past years.There were too many lurid color combinations and bare twig dogwoods, as if everyone had just discovered this colorful winter plant.

Here's the oddest thing about the show - remember how last year the most popular gardens had chickens, goats, and vegetables galore? We couldn't find ONE SINGLE vegetable in the entire show floor, and the only creature was a lone rabbit in a cage in one of the gardens. What gives with that? Seems a miss...

I adored Christianson's Nursery's wildly romantic garden, with white wisteria, enticing pathways and every detail enchantingly, perfectly realized. The F&G Show should be thankful to have this garden, for everyone will love how it lures you in to look closely at every charming bit, from English daisies growing in the lawn to the striped baskets in the potting shed...

I liked the diversity of gardens, from a twilight garden draped in white gauzey panels to the cool structures, like a greenhouse atop a garden shed. There was art in nearly every garden, including storks in shorts and wire cages filled with recycled water bottles. That looks better than it sounds....

Stay tuned, more tomorrow on the commercial booths and Plant Marketplace......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Loree / danger garden]

You've definitely got my attention...now if the weather will just allow for the drive up I-5!

[kate]

Hm, that does seem genuinely puzzling, to have no veges or chickens this year. Perhaps a little guerrilla gardening is in order: radish seed balls? A little forest of kale plants plants tucked into the bark dust? Maybe some fancy chickens wandering through the dogwoods would lend some funky energy!

I agree about the water features - give me a still, reflective pool over a gushing fount any day!

Thanks for the excellent sneak preview.

[Chris]

Whoa dude!! That gardener with the turqoise whatever he is must be a stoner or really liked Alice in Wonderland!! :)

[DariaW]

You'd think that someone would have noticed that rhubarb is striking looking, easy to force, and goes well with osier dogwoods. I think I'd grow it for it's looks even if I didn't like it so much. My mom has a great rhubarb pie recipe.

[Glenn Withey]

Val,

Have you ever thought it might be better, for most people, to support our small local farmers who are doing their best to save what's left our farmland?

And, in urban environments, there are rats. We've had multiple clients discover rats dining on their produce...

With no chickens at the show-I grew up with poultry and having been made to 'help' cut their heads off has left me with a distinct taste for store bought meat.

Oh well, to each their own.

[supra footwear]

This winter’s been miserable,” Peavy said, acknowledging everything from his rehab from a season-ending latissimus dorsi tear on July 6, a recent illness of his father’s and unseasonably cold weather.