I went to The San Francisco Flower & Garden Show expecting to see inspiring display gardens filled with the kind of plants which make me envious of those lucky enough to garden in California. You know…succulents and tender Mediterranean plants…things we can't put in the ground up here in Portland, Oregon.
I was half right. There were several inspiring gardens, but for the most part the plant palette was really nothing out of the ordinary. Heck, there was even a garden full of the most basic of Pacific Northwest staples Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Bamboo!
I had long suspected that my discontent with the display gardens at the Seattle and Portland shows had at least a little to do with the plant choices, but this show proved that's not necessarily the case. Well designed "modern" display gardens can inspire with or without fantastic plants. However, as my friend Scott recently pointed out, in the absence of plants a gardener ca&# 110; mentally fill in the space with their preferred plant palette, it's easier than mentally personalizing a garden filled with Easter egg tinted flowering bulbs and colored twigs.
I am only posting pictures of the gardens that made a positive impression on me, I've got so many photos why waste your time on the unfortunate? Of which there was plenty: dragons and a junkyard of metal debris, tiny lights that made a garden look like a bag full of glitter exploded, the usual conifer and rock waterfall look, and of course an Italian-esque outdoor kitchen nightmare…sort of a Sopranos meets the Brady Bunch affair.
Thus far you've been looking at pictures from "Serenity Lounge" designed by Envision Landscape… "This garden implements the sounds, textures, sights and emotions of a coastal creek and transposes them into a small suburban backyard, serving to mask the urban noises and surrounding architecture."
I would be happy if they could pick up this whole garden and plop is down in my back yard. Of course I would have to transplant all of my plants into it for it to truly make me content.
This next one was nothing but pure fun…
"Urban Habitat" designed by the School of Landscape Architecture at the Academy of Art, SF… "Urban Habitat is a dual-use parklet that is designed to provide a public place for citizens to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the city around them, while allowing for participation in activities such as gardening. This parklet embraces the recycle and reuse of urban elements such as "dumpsters" to provide planting areas, seating, while also acting as "urban art" canvases for graffiti artis ts."
It may not be everyone's cup of tea but I loved it.
Ceanothus trees!
One small issue though…rocks like this are a twisted ankle waiting to happen. I watched countless people try to walk through the display and remain upright. I was wearing flats and still had a tough time. Don't do this at home or especially in a public space, besides they are expensive!
Next up is "PLAnTFORM" designed by the School of Architecture & Landscape at Arizona State University…"PLAnTFORM introduces a new approach on using available space to create a garden setting in urban and suburban environments. It capitalizes on the function and science of roof gardens and transforms it to be used by gardeners as a landscape on a usable plane."
Yep, loved the planting boxes!
And especially the little waterfall…
I’ll admit I didn't read up on the design intent behind each garden until after the fact. I like to see what impression it makes on my before I know what I'm "supposed to see." So imagine how surprised I was to hear that this…
Was inspired by the Occupy Movement…huh?
"Dynamic Reflection" by French's Waterscapes, LLC & Mariposa Gardening & Design…”Dynamic Reflection is a public gathering space, dedicated to the community. The garden is inspired by the way the Occupy Movement has brought people from across the globe to fight for justice and equality in their own nations. The garden is a tribute to those who have used public spaces to gather in peace and in unity. It is a space where people have come together to build the leaning flagstone wall, 05;n collaboration.”
I do know I loved the stacked stone walls, and upon chatting with the fellow standing by the garden he seemed to still be excited by how it all turned out. I asked if they'd built it offsite to make sure it all came together and disassembled and reassembled here. Nope. They built it right here for the first time, impressive!
You could even walk up on the top of the garden…
"SAVANNA!" by Rock & Rose Landscapes and Greenlee & Associates was one of my favs simply because as you walked through it you forgot you were in a suburban "Event Center." It was marvelous! Of course that enclosed dim space within also meant getting decent photos was nearly impossible.
Here's a little of what they have to say… "Take a walk on the wild side. Refreshingly new and exotic, yet a home in our climate, the sub-tropical, tall-grass Savanna is an exciting addition to the Bay Area garden palette. Stroll through rustling reeds and gargantuan grasses, and be alert to the sounds and the smells, the textures and the colors, the drama and the mystery."
The Marcia Donahue sculptures definitely added to the experience.
"La Vie En Vert" by Outdoor Environments… "Serenity surrounds you; the peaceful sweep of the pendulum, the lovely green of the palms."
Okay I admit I kind of thought the pendulum was fun, but I wouldn't want it in my garden. I would however take the rectangle pavers…
The beautiful Dasylirion longissium…
And I'm a sucker for a lawn and paver checkerboard too…
"Windows" by McKenna Landscape… "Each of us sees the environment from our own point of view, our own window. This garden offers a new window through which to see landscape design in our back yards. A unique melding of an eclectic, vintage style with modern lines to keep it fresh and comfortable."
Wine as a garden prop will get me every time, however I do like my tables to be dry, this one doubles as a water feature.
Behind the window (which is hinged) are books, so you can properly enjoy this little corner of the garden.
Finally a couple of walls in other gardens that I really liked, I believe this one is made from the metal uprights used in construction which would usually be hidden inside a wall?
Here I love the wooden strips weaving over and under the bamboo.
And here a tree weaves through metal panels. Maybe not terribly realistic for the long term but it looked good.
In addition to the large display gardens there were also several smaller ones, my favorite was "Hortisculpture" by Michelle Derviss (of the fabulous blog Garden Porn). Michelle was at her booth when we visited and I was SO excited to finally meet her after following her design adventures for years.
She used her own plants in the design…it was kind of like getting to visit her garden.
This raised bed garden seemed to be inspired by Ivette Soler's The Edible Front Yard as it mixes fabulous ornamentals with beautiful veggies!
And look there are even succulents!
I also got a chance to see and touch the famous succulent pallet table that Far Out Flora's Megan and Matti designed and built. I couldn't get a good overall shot of it because so many people were gathered around it! (oh and I got to meet Matti earlier that morning, hard at work at his day job at Flora Grubb Gardens, yes his smile really is that infectious in "real life")
Okay time to wrap this up before it becomes my longest post ever! One last stop, the plant vendors…
While the display gardens at this show may have been more to my liking I have to say the plant shopping area was a bit of a disappointment, the Seattle and Portland shows had them beat by a mile. Still, there was Succulent Gardens…
So many beautiful things!
I would have bought one of these Dudleya pulverulenta or Chalk Live Forever had I not already purchased a smaller one at Cistus Nursery a couple of months ago.
Gorgeous!
I wanted this Echeveria agavoides ‘Lipstick’ too…
But bought this smaller one…
And I couldn't (and didn't) pass on a Dyckia choristaminea ‘Frazzle Dazzle’
Love it! I also bought this small Grevillea at the Sierra Azul Nursery booth. I can't tell you what it is for sure (maybe a G. lanigera?) because somehow between my driveway and house I seem to have lost the label. Sad.
There is one other fabulous plant that I took home from the show; it was a gift from Denise of the blog A Growing Obsession. Not only did I finally get to meet her but she so kindly shared a pup of her Agave pygmae 'Dragon Toes'…
Isn't it just Agave perfection? She also brought me a pair of New Zealand Purple Ricinus (Castor Bean) seedlings and a baby Euphorbia mellifera. The way most Euphorbia grow it will probably be a shrub by the end of summer.
Speaking of Denise be sure to click on the link above the Agave photo to visit her blog and see MB Maher's photos from the show, they are dreamy. Need even more? Visit Bamboo Succulents and More where Gerhard shares more great photos and opinions!
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