Friday, February 16, 2018

Inspiration from the gardens at the NWFG Festival

Rather than drag you through every display garden at the NWFG Festival I'm just going to share the things I found inspiring. First up the West Seattle Nursery/Devonshire Landscaping display — it was a big winner and a favorite of mine.

It's based around a garden spa — which may or may not be your cup of tea — but I found it a refreshing change from the outdoor kitchen version. Plus it featured lots of dreamy plants.

I simply must find a hardy alternative to Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt'.

That texture is so perfect! Any ideas folks?

The back wall of the display (see top photo) was covered in Tillandsia, random at the top and denser towards the bottom. I couldn't really place why it made me uncomfortable, that is until I read someone (maybe Alison?) say they looked like spiders.

The hanging "chandelier" (a no lights version?) of plants was simply fabulous. I wish I could have gotten a better photo of it.

The shower head covered with Tillandsia was also clever.

The back wall of the display was a Trypophobia sufferers worst nightmare, but I liked it (hmm, I wonder if that was intentional? Arachnophobia triggers on the front, Trypophobia triggers on the back? Nah...). I'm not sure how I would translate this into my garden, but there would definitely be something in all of those empty pots.

The Issaquah Landscaping/designs by deLeuw display featured a garden structure that was a smaller version of a train/truck container. I liked it's relative simplicity. If we had a larger garden, and I had a thriving home business, I can totally see me with a container office.

The corrugated metal skirting to the pool was also appealing to metal-loving me.

Over at the Fancy Fronds/ALBE Rustics garden there were all sorts of fabulous plants and interesting things happening. That tepee trellis shape is just begging for vines to cover it, don't you think?

And you all know I adore the hommage to the dish planter, these seemingly taken right from the pages of the Potted book.

Even the edges of this garden were interesting, they made me think of Villa Noailles.

Are you curious why my photos are (for the most part) without that dramatic show lighting? The NWFG Festival has a before hours "tweet-up" where us social media types are allowed in before the house lights are dimmed. It's a good thing.

The garden from Millennium Landscape and Construction, Inc. won points from me right away — you could actually walk through it! So many of the NWFG Show gardens are only to be observed from the edges. I hate that!

They included lights in their brick pavers...

Something I admittedly overlooked, until The Outlaw pointed them out.

I liked their version of a feature I've seen at a few other shows (the SF Garden show back in 2012 and then also at the Succulent Extravaganza via others photos) was fun, even if it looked a little precarious.

The back wall of the display may have been my favorite part. Imagine the vines!

The low-wall was nice too.

In the Northwest Orchid Society display I enjoyed seeing Coffea arabica growing.

This would make a nice addition to my garden. If it were hardy...

Then there was this. Wow. The Easter-basket-cellophane greenhouse from Treeline Designz. At first I was a little shocked, a little fearful...

But the more I saw it, the more I liked it. At least one person is going to be horrified by that statement. Sorry Outlaw.

Over in the City Living area (skywalk between the two halls, which features smaller, "city balcony" sized displays) the first thing I spotted was this fine display of the Leo Planters by Pot, Inc.

I've admired these online but they are even better in person.

The rusty metal finish is unique yet even, nice when you're mail ordering and not picking it out in person.

Todd Holloway (owner, designer and dad to the adorable Carl) took one of the containers off the display to show us the drainage and mounting holes, as well as those circular nubbins which allow for air circulation between the container and wall.

Moving on to the City Living displays proper, here's a vignette from GH Horticulture's display. I loved Grace's nod to the ubiquitous Amazon box by the front door

The happenstantials display was a riot of things, my favorite was this kids play structure worked into comfy seating. How fun, right?

I chatted with the creator of this inspired work, Chance Justbe (yep), who was obviously having a blast.

He made the kokedama...

And planted up this bag planter with bamboo, made all the more interesting by including the cut culms, moss and black mondo grass.

Even his window planters were inspired.

And his placement of the "heart hands" was not accidental...

Next up the Designs by Nature display.

Love this table! Although I would have preferred to see a different top. The glass looks out of place (cold) next to the warm metal and wood.

The last one I'll feature was from Sky Nursery.

I really enjoyed the paper and floral bits hanging from the twisty branches. What was your fav?

Weather Diary, Feb 15: Hi 50, Low 38/ Precip .08"

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

27 comments:

  1. No need to be sorry that you liked the cellophane Easter basket gone wrong. The Partridge Family tour bus parked in the middle of the subdued and serene garden was rather interesting. I have loved every garden that Treeline Designz has created for this and the Portland show. This garden was fab but the cellophane seemed so ephemeral and I could see it all blowing off the frame with the slightest breeze. I liked the same gardens you did and am impressed that West Seattle Nursery keeps coming up with wonderful gardens year after year. The only thing I wondered about that cool spa space was how one would access it. Beautiful picture and an imaginative use of plants but no vanishing path, no steps up from the floor, no door in the wall. Judith (The Fern Madam) Jones and Fancy Fronds has been part of the show for 30 years now. That in itself is pretty impressive. As always, the best part of the show was seeing friends like you! (And the shopping.)

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    1. Maybe the Partridge Family overtones are what got me? I really can't explain it. West Seattle Nursery is certainly on a roll...have you been to their retail location? Judith is amazing, I didn't realize she's been at every show! She should get an award for that.

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    2. Their retail space is great and a year or two ago they added more space and a greenhouse.

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  2. I had a hard time finding inspiration in the big garden displays this year, but you found some things I had overlooked. Yours is the best shot I've seen of that back wall for the spa garden with all the terra cotta pots, I might try working something like that into a vertical garden I want to do for the fence behind my raised beds. Great shot of the heart hands with the public market sign! I passed the Leo planters many times without really paying attention, but they look like a great way to have the look of reusing gutters for planters without all the hassle of figuring out how to hang them.

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    1. I was so happy the "heart hands" photo turned out, he was so excited about the placement.

      I hadn't thought of the Leo planters as being a gutter planter replacement (they're so much bigger), but I like the idea.

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    2. Your heart hands photo is amazing! Thanks for posting it to share with everyone.
      My parents were at the show on the day that I presented on the DIY stage. Number one question that people asked them - Is that really his given name?
      My Dad “Yep”
      My Mom “Sam Elliot played a character named Chance in an 80s movie named “The Yellow Rose of Texas” I thought he was dreamy.”
      back to Dad 🙄
      Lol gottta love parents...

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  3. Oh, BTW, it was me who said spiders. (Shudder...)

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    1. Shudder indeed. One or two don't bother me, but that many...yikes!

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  4. I like the understated elegance of GH Horticulture's display with black, gray and pink. I guess I'm pretty staid. ;)

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  5. What???? No awkward or weird displays to make fun of????

    I don't have trypophobia but those empty pots look very alien and make me uncomfortable. Maybe I am trypophobic after all?

    Love the Leo planters. If only I could afford a bunch!

    Also enjoyed the Spanish moss, esp. since I just ordered some off eBay.

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    1. Well not that I'm sharing! ;)

      What will you do with your Spanish moss?

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  6. Loved the plants I could see in fancy fronds. And all those pinky-red touches were surprisingly effective without being overwhelming.

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    1. The ladies from Fancy fronds always have excellent plants!

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  7. All I see in that cello greenhouse is a giant Rubiks Cube.Maybe it plays better in person ? My fingers crossed that the supposedly revived SF Garden show this year has as nice gardens as these. And letting the blogging peeps in when those god awful theater lights are down.

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    1. Ha! A Rubiks Cube, that's true! And if you ask Peter no, no it does not play better in person. So are you going to the SF show?

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  8. I enjoyed other people's photos, but loved your focus! Yours made me sorry I didn't make it. I actually like the wall of empty pots. I could see some of them filled with materials that the solitary bees could use for laying eggs.

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    1. Thanks Cathi, I'm glad my focus was your cup of tea!

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  9. Aren't people creative. So fun to see--even if I can't get myself up there in person. Thx for your spot-on reporting.

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    1. I think the crowds would drive you bananas if you ever did make it up there. A couple of times I wanted to SCREAM!!!

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  10. There are a lot of neat touches here that I'll have to come back and take a closer look at. The first display had me strategizing about how I could dress up my husband's beloved spa, something I'm sure he would NOT appreciate in the least.

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    1. Ya I don't even know your husband but he doesn't seem like the "dress it up" type...

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  11. This was my 25th year attending, and I enjoyed it. Wasnt blown away, wasnt disappointed. I told a friend that the spa garden was my favorite (AMAZING details) but I wanted to live in the rainbow greenhouse! I got a great pic of the chandelier I will try to share.

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    1. 25th year! You're almost right up there with the 30 they've been going, nice work! I'd love to see your pic, you can email it to me at spiky plants at gmail dot com.

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  12. You found some beautiful things to highlight. I love the pot inc stuff. Lots of black and white accents underlying foliage--a general trend?

    No crowds to deal with--reading your post in quiet solitude is a treat. Thanks!

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    1. The crowds! I love to eavesdrop on them, but the wandering masses drive me crazy!

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  13. Yes to finding a hardy alternative to Cousin It. To me, Hakonechloa gives a similar sense of flowing, arching foliage, but of course it's deciduous. Some of the hardy asparagus might be somewhat similar, but with much finer foliage. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I bet there are more and better approximations. I'm intrigued by the bamboo kokedama, but I woudn't want to keep up with the watering it would need.

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