Review: Container Garden Exhibition
By Carolyn Fessler
Guest Columnist
Today was my first visit to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in quite some time. Since my last visit I’ve moved from Seattle to the Kitsap Peninsula and my interest and involvement in container gardening has bumped up considerably now that we’re empty nesters with a bit more time on our hands. We decided to get an early start to allow us the freedom of visiting each part of the show at a leisurely pace and even take a break in the middle of the day and return after dinner to re-visit our favorites.
The Container Garden Show was interesting. There were 12 displays, six on each side of the sky bridge. The coffee and wine bar was positioned in the middle, giving us an opportunity to sit and relax as well as study the designs. The variety was wonderful, and the combinations used by these designers were inspirational. I was hoping to find ideas for easy-care containers for both heavily-shaded areas as well as hot sunny spots. Something drought-tolerant and at the same time colorful would be perfect.
The first display, a composition of deep red containers and accessories with plethora of brightly colored flowers and greenery, turned out to be my favorite. First it reminded me that not all containers were chunky circles or squares; two of their containers were long, narrow, and quite tall. This display by Sunnyside Nursery offered considerable variety and visual appeal.
There seemed to be an emphasis on succulents with three displays making heavy use of these drought-tolerant plants. Another display had just four pots of grasses. None of the displays provided descriptions or tags to identify the plants used so I can’t pass along any details there.
The displays were primarily decorative as opposed to educational. But a close study could still produce a good variety of ideas to take home. The most inspirational for me was a very large container constructed of a wire mesh cage holding large smooth stones which, I assume, concealed a utilitarian pot. It was rustic, simple, and perfect for a woodland setting.
Those deep red pots with the color saturated plants was really dramatic! The complimentary color of the lime green moss (the name escapes me right now) below the deep red pots really *popped*.
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[...] adminnHToday was my prototypal foregather to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in quite some time. Since my tangency foregather I’ve grazed from municipality to the Kitsap Peninsula and my goodness and position in container husbandry has bumped up substantially today … [...]
[...] Jasmineâ??s Blog – San Francisco Flower and Garden Show | Northwest & San Francisco Ga… wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt By Carolyn Fessler Guest Columnist Today was my first visit to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in quite some time. Since my last visit I’ve moved from Seattle to the Kitsap Peninsula and my interest and involvement in container gardening has bumped up considerably now that we’re empty nesters with a bit more time on our hands. We decided to get an early start to allow us the freedom of visiting each part of the show at a leisurely pace and even take a break in the middle of the day and [...]
[...] Review: Container Garden Exhibition [...]
Great info. Thanks.
Yes, loved your comments about container gardening – so much easier to control and you can create delightful arrangements. Thanks for all those ideas coming out of the Garden Show.