Browsing the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle

A painting with Sedums and Echeverias at Ravenna Gardens display; nothing new, but still completely charming!

*

I do understand that fixing dates for a major garden show must be a logistic challenge, but staging one in the middle of winter school break period is still quite naughty. So I was a bit grumpy when I realized that Dan Pearson from UK would be visiting, and holding his presentation at the same time as I would be sliding down the hills of Whistler! A longtime fan of Dan's writing, I had hoped to get to hear him in person, and maybe even to get my copy of his extraordinary book Spirit - Garden Inspiration signed. Instead, was forced to take this as an good opportunity to build character... and as the skiing was great, I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

*Christianson's Nursery and Greenhouse had installed an abundant display with great attention to details. The plantings were a symphony of greys, whites and pale pinks, very traditional and pleasing without being boring...

*
Sunday was the last day of the show, and luckily, I was able to tempt my whole family there. The girls were eager to see show gardens representing stories as Wind in the Willows and Rapunzel, and my husband generously agreed to look after them, kept happy with a good magazine and a large, hot coffee. Myself, I wanted to get a short peak of the show gardens, even if they always tend to be a bit exhausted on the last show day. And as I had read the Seattle Times Garden Show special issue from February 20th that highlighted edibles, kitchen gardening and outdoor living, I was curious about seeing how this would play out in the show garden designs.

The Christianson's show garden from another angle, with a huge white wisteria in full bloom to the right; they had done a great work in forcing hundreds of flowering plants to bloom for the show. I would love to get some rhubarb forcers (terracotta pots in the front) to my garden in Saltsjöbaden...

Many of the show gardens were executed with great skill and resources, but I couldn't really warm up to most of them. Same color combinations and plants from evergreens to flowering perennials were in the limelight, just like at countless shows before. Lots of recycled materials were on display as can be expected, from pots and pans to a whole cargo container that served as a garden shed in one of the show gardens. Green walls hang down in many gardens, but not in any way out of the ordinary. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I don't' think much at the show felt new. Based on the articles at the Seattle Times special issue, I had expected at least some clever displays incorporating edibles in unexpected ways to a garden. An edible flower border or an edible meadow, combining perennials and annuals with "victuals" would have been so exciting to see! Alas, no luck at that front.

The Ravenna Garden Sedum painting, once more...

A bit lazy with my camera, I took pictures of two show gardens that I liked, even if they comply with my quibbles above. Still, these two show gardens were skillfully carried out and nicely, albeit very traditionally designed. And even if I didn't get my kick of the avant-garde, it was a pleasure to take in the wonderful scents of all hyacinths, daffodils and even huge flowering wisterias blooming everywhere at the show, like a teaser for what will be out in our gardens just in a couple of weeks. I just hope for a better timing for the show next year...
**

The Ravenna Garden display called A Passion for Purple. Recycled containers filled with plants in contrasting colors. The little, portable meadow to lay down one's feet on is really cute, too. Ravenna is Seattle's answer to San Francisco's Flora Grubb...