Posts tagged ‘Garden Show’

Feb 12

NW Flower & Garden Show

The NW Flower and Garden show (in Seattle) opened yesterday and runs though the weekend. I made my annual trek to see the gardens and do a little shopping. I took a couple pictures of my favorite gardens to share.

I’ll start with McAuliffe’s Nursery. It’s somewhat close to my house and I’ve visited it often. It’s a great nursery.

A couple things I liked about their demo garden:

• they had the best plant tags. Cuts of wood painted w/ chalk paint.

• their potting bench made from salvage materials was inspiring

• I really enjoyed their plant choices and colors

The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) demo garden had my favorite plant combos. Here are a couple other things that caught my eye:

• they had a classic water feature that complimented the rest of the design

• they used a variety of plant colors and textures that I can use at home

West Seattle Nursery was also a favorite with their catchy “Birds do it…Bees do it…” garden theme. Also a great Billie Holiday song. Why I liked it:

• gave habitat ideas for birds and insects

• vibrant colors and fun plant combinations

• unique bird feeders

And the last garden I want to share was designed by Adam Gorski Landscape Inc. I liked the elegance and simplicity of this garden.

• cork plant tags – what a great idea

• large stone columns & fountain

• wine barrel chairs

• green & burgundy plants

I hope you enjoyed my garden show teaser. If you want to see more you’ll just have to visit the show.

Feb 11

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My Garden Show Favorites

I’m heading back to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in a couple of hours – it’ll be my last visit. This makes me sad but I’m exhausted. Before I go, I thought I’d pass along some of my garden show favorites from the display gardens. These are the features in the gardens that spoke to me most.

First, a little video of the water drums. How cool would it be to have these in your garden? Read more

Mar 4

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My Northwest Flower & Garden Show Favorites

Every winter the Northwest Flower & Garden Show helps me brush off the cobwebs and get excited for spring. This year was even more exciting because I met up with many of my garden idols and online friends. I even got to listen to seminars by Jessi Bloom, Rebecca Sweet & Susan Morrison, Teresa O’Connor & Jayme Jenkins, Ivette Soler and Joe Lamp’l (check out their hyperlinked books).

I loved every minute of this show so I thought I’d share what I loved most (aside from the people).

Here’s some cool stuff I found:

Here are my favorite display gardens:

Christianson’s Nursery was most like my own garden (but better). I really enjoyed their A Day Well Spent garden because it was simple, elegant and classic. It also had veggies and easy to implement ideas like the short fence covered in vines pictured below. Most of my pictures of this garden were blurry.
www.christiansonsnursery.com

Christianson's Nursery

Short little fence covered in vines.

Also by the front entrance was Courtney Goetz’s garden: Paradise (to be) Regained. Not saying anything bad about Courtney, but I was SHOCKED when I learned the person who designed this garden was only 17! It was not only beautiful but also very thoughtful – it was full of great ideas, plant picks and had a recycling message. I bet (hope) this isn’t the last we hear from her.
www.thecreativegardener.com

Repurposed shipping container

Greenhouse on top of the shipping container!

Use for plastic water bottles

Radiator borders

Metal grates as stepping stones

Key chain rain chain

My favorite themed garden was by far the Run Little Pigs,RUN! garden by Susan Browne Landscape Design. I walked around this one a couple times (at least) and found something new and fun to look at each time. Plus, my dad did an amazing job reading me this story as a kid. I still remember.
www.fancyplantsgardens.com

Straw house planted with complementary reds

The twig house - my personal favorite.

The brick house with views of the other two.

The BIG BAD WOLF's house - situated right behind the straw house.

Here are a couple other photos I liked from the other display gardens.

Meadow lawn

Giant Urn

I got some of these cattails in burgundy!!

Stone bench and rock wall

Pink Flamingo Croquet

Wine cork stepping stones?

Here are my favorite container gardens:

Since I LOVE succulents and repurposed pots, it was no wonder I loved The Lusher Life Project container garden display.

So many succulents!

Bottle terrarium

Love the contrast with the red/orange box

And last but not least, the Eat, Pray, Love, Garden. My friends Christina Salwitz and Janit Calvo (Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center) combined forces to create this beautiful garden.