Unfortunately, for the moment, the only green in my backyard is my swing.So for a much needed breath of fragrant fresh air and pops of color, I decided to play hooky from work on Friday to attend the 2010 Portland Flower Show. The theme this year is "Gardens Gone Wild". Actually, that was theme of all my gardens last summer; however, I didn't think that the flower show would involve weeds run amok as my gardens had been. To my delight, the exhibits were whimsical interpretations based on the theme that included people made from fresh produce and foliage, tropical flowers along with Native Maine favorites, live fish in ponds and the sounds of birds. (Mostly recorded bird sounds along with the few real birds that sneak into the warehouse where the show is housed.)
Although all the exhibits were lovely, most involved heavy use of hardscape and not enough flowers to suit me. While I do have the landscape area that could carry off such large scale designs (although not the pocketbook to fund such projects), the typical attendee at the show does not.
So I found myself gravitating to the smaller projects that I could imitate for my garden. I just love this lime green door with the blue chair turned into plant pot. Now that would be a punch of color for the back yard.
I have seen old faucet handles turned into flowers. This little piece of art incorporates these faucet flowers with other pieces of tool handles and wire, to create a fun piece.
My favorite exhibit was titled "There and Back Again" created by Landmarc's Inc. in conjunction with plantings from O'Donal's Nursery. It represented a charming hobbit home complete with the much used cane of one Bilbo Baggins resting beside the oh so cute little front door. I am a Tolkien fan.The half circle is framed with birch branches and rounds made from sliced pieces of branches. The front facing wall of the little house is made from stone with the circle shaped door made of wood. It is as if the house was dug out of the side of a hill. A stone walkway invitingly leads you to the door.
This is the far left of the little house. You can see all the planting materials that form the roof from low growing ground cover to good size bushes. This photo also shows in more detail, the branch rounds that edge the roofline.
This photo views the far right of the exhibit, showing the stone steps that lead around back. The use of the trees really makes you feel that you have stumbled upon this enchanted spot deep within a magical forest.
It is no wonder that this exhibit won "Best of Show" following their 2009 win. Click here to see last year's amazing exhibit. But even more amazing, is that behind that charming round door is an actual room. This hobbit house is for sale, and many of the children visiting the show are wishing it could be theirs. (I would have liked to have gotten better shots of this exhibit; however, it was constantly swarmed with appreciative onlookers, especially the children.)At the end of the day, it was nice to come home, with photos and notebook full of ideas in hand, and start dreaming of what this year's gardens will look like. Oh wait, what do I see?
It may not be red, yellow or purple, but I will gladly take these little white beauties, knowing that Spring is really here.Garden Sanctuary: You who maybe with troubled thoughts, come enter here and rest; and may the sweet serenity of growing things and the heavenly peace, be mirrored in thy soul. A peaceful thought from the flower show.
Have a good day.
Sherrie
