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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

A Novel Idea - A garden by Olympic Landscape and Irrigation

This being my first visit to the Tacoma Home and Garden Show,  I was delighted that we were greeted by strangers with candy.  Thank you Bay Equity Home Loans for starting the day off in a sweet way!


Also very nice was "A Novel Idea,"  the creation of Olympic Landscape and Irrigation.  It is my understanding that they have, for many years now, put together a garden for this show.  There is no show garden competition in the Tacoma Home and Garden Show so it was great to see some gardens and vignettes at the show. 

The pink/purple on the leucothoe leaves echoes that of the phormium.


 I'd not seen the name of the garden and couldn't figure out why books were hanging from the trees.

 Interesting to be sure but I wondered why one would a) do this to a book and b) place it outside where it would certainly not last long.
 
 I am fond of the way the stepping stones went through the lawn, continued into the flower beds and kept going right through the middle of the water feature. 
 
 

Garden furniture and décor are from Summer House

Another book taking flight.


Fountain by Tom Torrens Sculpture Design.

Am I the only one who wants to pick up the books?  Maybe it's because we're in the Pacific Northwest in the middle of the rain festival (October 1 - July 5.)
 Viburnum "Pink Dawn"  adding its fragrance to that of sarcococca (not pictured.)
 
 
Finally seeing this sign helped me to understand the books lying and flying about.   A nice garden that was fun to walk through!

Turning around, there were some folks discussing plans for their own landscape design. 

20 comments:

  1. That was a nice garden. I am so unobservant, I didn't even notice the flying books in the trees, and I didn't notice the books lying around until you pointed it out the day we were there. You're right about wanting to pick them up and put them away, here they would get destroyed in the rain.

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    1. It's always interesting to me how they put these gardens together in such a short time!

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  2. Looks like the display has worked and they have gained themselves a new client!

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    1. Spiders spin webs, landscapers make pretty gardens. It's important to know one's audience.

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  3. Gosh you've reminded me of something I saw but can't remember where. Books left outside to break down from the weather and become a surface on which things might grow. Darn I wish I could remember more!

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  4. The rubber duck with the shades cracked me up! Small enough not to make me gag, just laugh. Although the book ornaments were totally unpractical, they looked beautiful, like an unusual bird house. Now someone need to figure out how to make it from a durable substance. Peter?

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    1. I was thinking about it but if you treated them with enough epoxy to make them safe from the elements, they'd be shiny and loose some of their appeal. Maybe we should enjoy them indoors instead.

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  5. If you could make those flying books' loops small enough to house mason bees you could rule Etsy. They'd totally disintegrate but people would buy them.

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    1. OMG, you're totally right. I'm seeing a new career in your future.

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  6. I'm always kind of amazed at how they set up water features indoors like that!

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  7. The Tom Torrens fountain has set my heart palpitating. I think practical considerations are not a big part of these shows, but the loopy hanging books strike me as charming. Someone on Etsy does all sorts of paper crafts using the pages of old books which are lovely. I still get a little twitchy at the idea of desecrating books.

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    1. That was a beauty! I liked the hanging books too. After having visited a Goodwill Outlet Store (will wonders never cease?) and seeing how many beautiful hardback books were in the bins being given their last chance to sell for fifty cents before they went to the big library in the sky, I think making art of them might be a better fate.

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  8. Lots of great/interesting ideas......I'm with you re. the books - and they WERE used in a novel way.

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    1. Used in a novel way is inspired! I'd not thought of that at all but you are absolutely right!

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  9. That rubber ducky is one cool customer. The books are examples of book art (google "book art" and you'll find some incredibly elaborate and detailed works) and while I can appreciate their interest and/or beauty I just can't stand the thought of doing that to a book. Except maybe a college textbook.

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    1. Thanks Evan, I'll definitely google "book art." These were lovely and I suppose it would be better for this to happen to a book than to have it discarded.

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  10. Like Heather, when I saw those books, I thought mason bee houses rather than novels crafted to fly like birds. Were there any clues in the titles of the books?

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  11. I looked but they were pretty high up so it was impossible to read the titles.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.