Sculptures, fountains and water features blend gracefully in garden landscapes, and the Northwest Flower & Garden Show display gardens showcased inspiring combinations.
Massive square stones stacked into an imposing fountain, which is skirted by blooming daffodils, greet visitors to the show gardens.
The “Good Times Great Food” garden features a varied patio landscaping with an assortment of stone pavers and groundcovers.
Back from my annual visits to the region’s garden shows, which filled my head with ideas for pathways and fun garden additions. I was also amazed at the materials used for the hardscape and water features, and had a very enjoyable time helping one display garden become reality.
Here are pictures from Portland’s Yard, Garden & Patio Show and Seattle’s Northwest Flower & Garden Show.
A scene from the Hoh Rainforest was the theme of the Arboretum Foundation’s garden at the NW Flower & Garden Show. I had the pleasure of helping bring this one to life.
Flowers line the path to a forest service lookout tower in this display at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
Large circular stepping stones blended beautifully with washed gravel in a pleasing curved path in this Yard, Garden & Patio Show display.
“Tough to mow” was my first thought when seeing this grassy bridge in a garden at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
An impressive combination of stone products created this inviting waterfall at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show.
Salmon (of the porcelain variety) headed upstream to spawn in a display garden at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
Giant recycled-plastic pots lit from within and gabion walls with galvanized metal screens highlighted this garden at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
Movie night in the garden – complete with s’mores and a fire pit – looked very inviting in this display at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show.
Simple and elegant with just two elements, this ikebana arrangement by Charles Coghlan caught my eye at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
Adding just a third element, this arrangement by Mina Dizon was also spare and striking at the NW Flower & Garden Show’s ikebana display.
A quote from the artist Cezanne mirrors my attitude toward vegetables at the Hudson Valley Seed Library’s booth at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
Comfy benches warm up a cold stone wall. A beehive gets circus-colorful. A wiry orange table makes friends perk up, and rusty steel grounds a garden scene.
These were many of the ideas I found when wandering through Portland’s Yard, Garden & Patio Show with my camera last weekend. I always like this show for its I-can-do-that vibe, and this year did not disappoint.
Here are some shots from my tour.
A stand of giant purple mustard among lettuce wowed visitors to the edible garden display. The greenhouse is from NW Green Panels.
The edible garden creators used juniper for some raised beds. They promote it as being longer-lasting than other woods.
Coreten steel raised beds make a bold statement in the garden. The pricy steel rusts to a wonderful bronze color, then stops and is very long-lasting.
Friends and fellow speakers Marty Wingate and Mary Kate Mackey were clearly in a cheery mood while chatting at a colorful outdoor table set.
These benches, set into a standard wall of stacking concrete blocks, break up the monotony and must be much more comfortable.
Thanks to everyone who helped make the Portland show another rousing success, including Lucy Hardiman and Nancy Goldman, who do great work presenting a wide variety of seminars.
Crowds will pack the convention center in downtown Seattle this weekend for the final two days of the Northwest Flower & Garden Show.
I spent the day there yesterday, and was inspired by reuse of old stuff, some interesting new ways to grow plants, a “steampunk” inspired show garden, and seeing old friends.
Here are some images from my visit.
The Edible Seattle folks are handing out scads of free magazines. And it happens to be the Nov/Dec issue, which has my article on seed saving!
One of the Great Plant Picks, um, picks this year is Splendid Wild Ginger. Get it.
Got a shipping pallet sitting around? Ballard Reuse could show you how to turn it into a cool bench.
An old bike painted a bright color with plants added in strategic places would make a whimsical piece of garden art.
Got some old stuff sitting around? How about repurposing! The toolbox could be a planter, and the old door might make a great chair back. Much more at the ReStore booth.
Rustic garden archway with Ginny Ruffner’s organic glass sculptures.
Look out for zombies!
Orchids.
Darwin’s muse, on a grand scale.
Vertical gardens, framed.
On “rusty lane,” handmade
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metal signs.
In the small space atrium, a jungle aquarium…
and a nod to the Impressionist painters.
A metalwork flower and hummingbird.