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Highlights from the Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2013

I was elated to be able to make the short trip from Vancouver to Seattle to attend the Northwest Flower and Garden Show this year. I was excited for the opportunity to meet some of my favourite garden authors, buy some fabulous goodies, and just get inspired.

Spring Tulips at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2013

And inspired I was. The show was enormous, with a floor of demonstration gardens, multiple vendor markets, a container garden completion, and an endless stream of great speakers. I really couldn’t have asked for anything more. I’m proud to live on this fabulous West Coast (even the chillier Canadian part) where there is a deep love and respect for gardens. Here are a few highlights that I took away from the show that I can’t help but share.

Spring is in the Air

The first thing that greeted me upon arrival was the sweet aroma in the air. I mean the place just reeked with perfume, but in a good way. In the way that says, “Hey Winter, guess what? Yeah, that’s right, it’s me Spring and I’m just around the corner!”

Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2013

Tulips and crocus and hellebore and narcissus and hyacinth and iris and more and more and more! I’m not sure that I have ever been in a place with so many spring flowers together except, of course, when visiting the tulip farms.

Demonstration gardens from the NWFGS 2013

Intriguing Containers

The container garden completion was certainly one of my favourites of the day. No matter how many times I went back, I would find yet another jewel that I hadn’t noticed before.

This little piggy wants succulents.Piggy Succulent Planter

A favourite of mine, the lion fountain planter with lime green, black, and orange on display.Lion Water Feature Container Garden

Well, at least this keeps the periwinkle from taking over the garden…as long as she gets regular haircuts.Head Planter

Artisan glass was everywhere at the show…a PNW staple.Metal Succulent Container Garden

The Marie Antoinette Mini Garden from Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center was absolutely perfect. It looks like a perfectly landscaped yard but all in a small 3’x3’ spot!

Lawn-less Landscapes

I was happy to see that there was just one landscape plan with a lawn. The rest used creative lawn replacement from full on plantings to hardscape solutions.

Party lovers can light up the night with disco-inspired lighted patio stones…Lighted Patio Stones

….or perhaps a a south western theme of gravel and grasses is more your style…Lawn free landscaping with gravel and grasses

…or riverstones interplanted with flowering bulbs make this landscape welcoming, even if the skull head says “stay away!”.Lawn free landscaping with river stones

Water Features Galore

While this isn’t all that new, there didn’t seem to be many gardens WITHOUT a water feature.

Rustic rocks,…Rock fountain

…planted troughs,…

Planted trough fountain

…large containers,…

Ceramic Water Feature

…concrete leaves,…Moulded Leaf Concrete Fountain

…and even a waterfall which the taxidermy pheasant seems to be enjoying.Waterfall garden

Vintage and Recycled

This was the first year there was a Vintage Market at the show. Unfortunately is was wayyyy at the back where I would have missed it if I didn’t happen by the area to get my customs documents processed. While I was happy I got the chance to shop it, my camera was nowhere in sight. Monica Hart from La Famiglia Design got fabulous photos though so have a snoop through them.

Vintage Wagon Planter

I was able to capture a few of the treasures around the other parts of the garden though. Like these from the container displays.

Junk to Treasure in the Garden

Recycyled Garden Lighting

Epiphite Delight

I heard that last year terrariums were all the rage, making air plants one of the more popular plants. This year it seemed that the epiphytes had ditched the glass and hung out in all sorts of different ways.

Staghorn Fern in Ceramic Planter

Orchids in wood blocks

 Rainforest Drops

I’ve covered only a fraction of what the show had to offer, but these were the themes that really spoke to me. I saw many of the projects that I have on my DIY list and gathered a whole lot more. While my friends and family are bracing snow in the east, I can don some good rain gear and get cracking in the garden. Thank goodness for the mild West Coast weather as I have a lot to get started on!

Glass and metal fence design at the NWFGS 2013

Comments

  1. Great to meet you at the Northwest Flower and Garden show … FINALLY!!! Your images are wonderful for the event and I can’t wait to follow you into spring after hearing about all the wonderful things you have coming!

    Happy Growing Twitter friend!

    Reply
  2. I too was at the flower show and it becoming quite clear that I missed out on a few of the actual gardens. . .
    I found the vintage market first and spent so much time there with my camera that I had very little time left once I got to the actual gardens!
    I think I needed an extra day . . .

    Reply
  3. Thank you so much for the shout out! Truly appreciate it! YOUR images from the NW Flower & Garden show
    are gorgeous! Don’t know about you, but I’m having garden show withdrawals! #Garden
    Monica

    Reply

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