The theme this year is "Art in Bloom." Notice how the "painting" on the table is an imitation of the larger "real life" grouping to the left. Pretty clever, Emerald city Orchids!
It's a three dimensional still life.
The Aquarium Zen folks came up with this offering which is, in my humble opinion, much more interesting than last year's offering.
Clever use for an organizer!
Sky Nursery did a lovely job with this artist/gardener retreat. Notice the hornet nest on the left.
Pot Incorporated is responsible for this and I love it to bits.
I love overhearing conversations at the show! One woman to another re: the Yucca rostrati (Yuccas rostrata?) "You know, those aren't palm trees at all but cactus!" One learns something new every day.
"Gardening in Miniature" by Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center.
"Beyond the Potted Plant" by Bellevue Nursery.
"Artisan's Cottage"
"Angelic Garden" by Maples for All Seasons.
"Steel Life" by Shannon Lester
National Wildlife Federation's entry.
"Art - Alive & Growing" by Oasis Outdoor Environments
"Life As Art" by Wight's Home & Garden
If you have a non gardener with you at the show, (s)he might enjoy the view from the sky bridge. in the distant center, you can see the Public Market sign at Pike Place Market, a lovely walk from the convention center when the temperature is less frigid!
Pot Incorporated and Steel Life are our favourites, with the planting of the former and use of yuccas, agaves; and the colour scheme and furniture of the latter!
ReplyDeleteI knew you would like those! I thought of you and Loree when I saw them!
DeleteThanks for showing so many of these, they're my favorite too. Did you take any closeups of the items in each of the displays? I love that Pot Incorporated display too, those two pyramidal containers are cool. Oh, I wish I'd gone. There's always next year.
ReplyDeleteI took some close ups of some of the items but didn't include them in the post. Next year, I'll visit the sky bridge during the tweet up! It would have been great to have you there!
DeleteThank you for the multiple images of the Pot Inc. display I LOVE it so much. Everything about it! Did you happen to see how much those hanging dish planters were selling for (I believe they were for sale in the Dig booth?). Odd that Ravenna Gardens didn't have an entry this year, although I must say Sky Nursery seemed to be channeling their inner Ravenna. Good stuff all around and now I'm going back to look again...(thank you!)
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd like that one and "Steel Life" as well. The pots were, depending on size, from 75 to 200 something dollars I think. Of course, my mind always goes to the how can I make this for nearly nothing place. Lids to Weber grills, hardware removed, spray painted, add a bit of chain and voila... And I wonder why my garden always looks so full of tacky junk. Ravenna had a booth in the vendor area which very much resembled their sky bridge entries from the past but everything was for sale.
DeleteI'm so glad you're posting these pics. Vicarious thrills. THX
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure to share the fun! Sorry your weather is so awful!
DeleteThe Sky Bridge is always a favorite of mine as well. I admit to loving miniature gardening so I'm a fan of that display each year. The idea of placing a picture frame around anything in the garden to draw attention to it, repeated throughout the show and is what stayed with me this year.
ReplyDeleteI was at the show on Wednesday (!) and the view from the sky bridge toward downtown was slightly different as some 700,000 people poured into the streets, feeling noting but love!
It reminds me a little of the Portlandia skit "Put a Bird On It" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_ZnC203Wo Put a frame around it and it's art!
DeleteYou're a brave soul to have gone downtown on Wednesday! I bet the sky bridge was a perfect place to be! I heard that there weren't many people at the show that day so your presence would have been even more welcome!
Not encountering crowds made this year's show so much more ejoyable!
DeleteI saw the skit you recommended: I don't expect similar mayhem when I frame a blooming hellebore in my garden :-)
Were you driving to the show two consecutive days? I admire your commitment.
The smaller displays are satisfying. There's a certain frustration in the larger ones (fear of missing something). I guess I'm drawn to a modern vibe, as the Pots Inc and Oasis displays were my faves. Beyond those two, I liked the ones that crammed the space with lots to look at. Speaking of which, I better wander back through this post for another look.
ReplyDeleteI love the modern vibe and greatly admire it in other gardens but somehow, my magpie/crow like habit of dragging everything shiny (or whatever new plant looks cool) home to the nest, and stacking things in layers just doesn't create the right environment for clean modern lines. My favorites were those two as well.
DeleteThank you for this, Peter. Admiring vicariously through your posts. By now, I'm pretty sure Saturday's planned quick stint up up there is a no-go. Damn you, sleet...
ReplyDeleteRats! Sorry about the crazy weather. Better stay home and be safe! I'll post more stuff from the show for those of you who couldn't make it!
DeleteLove it all along with your narrative.
ReplyDeleteSteel Life really caught me with that jacks planter, so cool. The overheard conversation reminds me that visitors often remark that my yard doesn't look too bad for a "yard full of cactus".
I'm not sure who makes the jacks planter but they're available at DIG nursery here so I'll ask the owner if she'll remind me of the maker so that you can find a retailer in your area. I can't believe that anyone would actually say that your yard "doesn't look too bad" The cactus part is funny but that's just insulting to your beautiful creation!
DeleteMy favorite is my favorite is the Wildlife Federation theme. I love the moss, rocks and the aged wood. The faux window is the icing on the cake. I bet you had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun! You might enjoy coming up to the show some year!
DeleteDear Mr. TOG
ReplyDeleteI'm with Gracie on favorites .. they are all gorgeous but that one got to me .. wait a minute, I think the succulents got to me too .. wait a minute ... it all got to me since I am under 4 feet of snow here! .. You gave me a great giggle from your comment on my blog ... yes ... everything you said was SO RIGHT !! LOL
It takes a plant addict to know a plant addict! Glad you liked the small gardens! It was energizing to see so many green and growing gardens while we're in the middle of a deep freeze outside - nothing like yours but still yucky. It's time for spring now, right? Only 40 days, 13 hours, 9 minutes and 30 seconds away but who's counting?
DeleteLots of clever ideas. I like the framed views of plants - it's simple but they do a great job of highlighting the plants behind them. I'm going to use that organizer turned planter idea somewhere too!
ReplyDeleteThe shows always have lots of ideas to steal! Loree did a shower planter in her bathroom but it wasn't in quite the same kind of organizer.
DeleteA lot of interesting and creative displays. That woman talking about the Yucca may have learned about succulents from me.
ReplyDelete