Northwest Flower & Garden Show (2011) Part Two

We spent all day at the show again today and we arrived back at the hotel late. After some dinner, a bit of correspondence, and some rest, I am posting the next batch of images with some comments. I have at least two more posts to write about the show, and I am currently ruminating over some really great information we heard today during the three seminars we attended that featured some great speakers! (One of them is an avid garden blogger!!!)

NW Orchid Society display.

NW Orchid Society display.

Great way to make an instant maze or play area for kids. I had never thought of using this material in this way before but I think it might be fun to use this summer. It is basically a stuffed permeable landscape material. 

Insect art in the garden is more than fitting and it points to the ongoing ridiculousness that we even ornament our gardens at all in the first place. 

So often animal ornamentation can seem too bold, but I really loved these subtle insertions.

What struck me about this fountain was the amount of noise that it made. I want a water feature in our small garden very much and the echo of the water splashing underneath was remarkable.

This picture is only here to remind me that my green dwarf mondo grass will grow in eventually. It will be worth the wait.

Note to self: Mix up the stone a bit.

Cannot remember the name of this Narcissus, but I want to say that is is Rip van Winkle.

Note to others: Green walls are everywhere. 

Note to others: This garden decor is approved by my husband, especially if attached to our Douglas fir tree, but the cool crab made out of a flat rock and rusted metal is not.

Note to others: See above. This is husband approved for the porch.

Container Garden Exhibition

These smaller displays are always a crowd favorite. I was so excited to see them this year and I was not disappointed. I am just so sorry that I don't have the names of everyone involved.

Weathered metal and green walls are all the rage. Note that the pillow on the chair has air plants as extra fringe. There is also a mossy top on the planter on the right. Moss was seen all over the place!

This nursery really took the container theme seriously and the edge of their space was planted too. 

I am such a turtle lover I got up close to see the detail. I am not sure that my turtle would want this in her garden. Including it in the display was kind of gutsy even if it is just cast concrete. Then again, if antlers are cool, why not...

Note the blue wall pocket for your green wall. Green walls were everywhere.

Planted gutter.

The sweater wrap is a fun craft I discovered on etsy. Wrap any old vase with an old sweater and it looks kind of cute.  On a planter, it is kind of cute too.

I have a planter at home that looks just like this so of course I liked it.

Very cool nautical display with succulents. 

Again, there will be more tomorrow and posts everyday until Sunday. We return home to Portland in the morning, but I have a lot to say about those amazing seminars. 

If you can make it in for the rest of the show, I highly recommend it. If not, maybe I'll see you next month in San Francisco! Until then, happy garden planning!