Fun and Funky at the NW Flower and Garden Show

Cloudy drippy skies greeted me this morning when I awoke and I couldn't have been more pleased. Today marked the first of the 2010 Northwest Flower and Garden Show, a five day feast of extravagant and ecclectic gardens for gardeners from around the region to oogle over. This show almost faded last year when its previous owner, Duane Kelly, announced plans to close the 21-year exhibit if he didn't find a buyer. Eventually, Portland-based O'Loughlin Trade Shows came through with a purchase. 

So, fast forward to today and voila!, here we are on opening day to glimpse more than 20 display gardens. My first impressions are the gardens seem much more funky and fun this year. There also seems to be a bit more whimsy in the gardens, not to mention more invitation for spectators to get into the displays. Bravo! There's definitely a heavier influence of urban gardening and farming, which couldn't make me more happier.

"Keeping It Real"

Real simple is just what I'm looking for right now. And this just shows that simple can be just as show stopping.

"There's No Place Like Home"

I'll definitely return for a closer look at this display themed around "The Wizard of Oz." Not only was this a just plain funky garden space, it incorporated a living rooftop, animal habitats, water-wise irrigation, an edible landscape and living fences. Fabulous.

"Wormhole: A Garden Game"

A lovely display that reminds us that gardens can be about form, function and just plain fun.

OK, I hung out here awhile. But hey, I have a toddler so I was soaking up many ideas.

The worm in question, perhaps?

"Fofo" Rhododendron

Yes, there were flowers at the show.

"Crops For Clunkers"

This is just a snippet of the edibles growing in, on and around a small pick-up that is the centerpiece of this mobile design.

Flashbacks of Summer, Part 2

The sun is shining this morning and I'm anxious to get outside for some more garden cleanup and maybe take those pictures that so failed me yesterday. It was nice going back through summer photos of last year's garden and seeing how many things were lush and thriving. It's funny how when you're in the throes of gardening, you sometimes lose sight of how far things have come. At times I feel like there are giant holes in the garden, and plants seem to be pathetic and puny. But going over the photos I found myself saying, "Hey, that's not that bad!" I guess we are our toughest critics, eh? So, until I get outside I thought I'd share some more shots of last season's garden and all that I look forward to seeing again.

Trumpet vine filled the side yard with sweet aroma. It's said to attract hummingbirds but I've yet to spot them hovering around this woody plant. This creeper can be quite a thug, but is kept in check by some heavy handed pruning.

A new Dahlia added in our backyard garden to share space with a Japanese Maple, Japanese Willow and Nandina. It's vibrant red petals hold up under the glaring rays of sunshine that Pacific Northwest enjoys, despite rumors of constant rain!

OK, a cabbage moth isn't ideal, but it is part of summer. I had fun trying to capture this little thing as it flitted around  the Catmint.

One of my favorite perennials in the garden is Rudbeckia, or Black-Eyed Susan. While the flowers faded this winter, the scratchy foliage hung on through a couple cold snaps. 

A mass of ruby red Snapdragons planted around a blueberry bush. These little flowers are fun for little ones to play with because you can make them "talk."

Gaura 'Siskiyou Pink' resembles butterflies fluttering around the garden. I've had this shrubby perennial reseed rather aggressively, which is good for filling in space. But can become overwhelming in some spots. Still, its delicate profile is a welcome addition to the garden.

Flashbacks of Summer

There are times when things don't work out quite as you'd planned. I find that can happen quite often in gardening. And even more so when taking photos of my garden. Today I'd actually gotten outside this morning and happily shot various plants, including the perked up Hellebores, emerging Poppy foliage and just blooming sarcoccoa. However, my camera had other ideas and didn't seem to retain any of these pictures. Now, with my little guy underfoot I have lost the window of opportunity to photo my garden's current state. But another has opened to flashback to summer and share photos that otherwise may have been lost due to my months long hiatus.

Daisies were were some of the first flowers I planted in our garden. They never cease to impress with their simple lines and cheerful faces. This particular plant has been divided up several times and spread throughout the garden.

Tree mallow (Lavatera) that I yanked quite literally out of the garden and potted up just a portion. This is a lovely flowering perennial that in my garden reseeds somewhat aggressively and has been popping up all around the yard. I rather enjoy it's hollyhock appearance but would rather it stay put as it develops quite the root and trunk system that can be overwhelming.

The unidentified Hydrangea flowered last season but they weren't the usual blooms that often grew larger than softballs. I'm guessing it was just settling into its new spot in the woodland garden and hope for a better showing this year.

Representing edibles in my garden: Corn! I was so pleased to finally grow corn again last year. Dear hubby built a new bed along the house on the southside where the heat loving plants like this and tomatoes grew quite well.

Sweet Flag planted among pavers around the deck. Nothing spectacular, but I enjoy the plant's chartreuse leaves and the bit of dimension they add around the deck.

A budding garden

Signs of life can be spotted around the garden, mostly in the form of fat leaf or flower buds. I can't help but anticipate all that Spring will have to offer in the form of lush plants full of flowers. It's nice to just walk around the garden and enjoy the changes of this budding garden.

The lone Hellebore in our unfinished woodland garden is full of fat buds. I think this is "Ivory Prince" but can anyone tell for sure just by seeing the buds? I would appreciate any suggestions.

Bright green leaf buds are opening on the unidentified hydrangea. It had a rather sad showing last year after being moved. It may be in too shady of a spot now but I'm going to give it one more season.

A brave primrose has sprung up from the blanket of leaves along the front path.

Flowering Currant 'White Icicle' has several leaves unfurling along its branches. Somehow my plant has cascading branches that I'm not so sure I like. I was hoping for the more traditional characteristic of height about 5 feet to 8 feet.

Astilbe is already shooting up from the earth. I'm not sure if this is early, although it seems the case.

Redtwig Dogwood has lots of leaf buds along the rusty red stems. I'll give these a light pruning in Spring, March or April, to encourage new growth that will have even brighter stems.

The wonders of winter weeding

A few dry days followed by bouts of sunshine had me out in the garden doing some much needed weeding. I continue to battle the grass that has infiltrated the front beds, and I fear the only solution will be removing the plants and digging out much of the soil. That area makes me appreciate so much more the beds where there are only a handful of weeds needing only a firm tug to eradicate them. Still, weeding of any kind provides you a closer look at your garden and reveals the slightest of changes, which leads to the greatest excitement for eager gardeners.

Oakleaf Hydrangea clings to a few winterized leaves. I'm of another lazy gardener moment because this is still in the nursery pot it came in. But that's partly because I'm not sure where I should place it ... uhhh, another no-no I guess. Plan before you buy. But how many of us really do that? Especially when presented with a lovely plant that you have coveted for so long.

The first of my tulips are pushing up through the soil. I managed to spread a fresh layer of compost in the bulb border and hope this will give the plants here an extra boost going into Spring.

Daylily leaves are already a couple inches tall. These are practically no-fail perennials of which I will for sure add more to my garden. They're also pretty easy to divide, usually best done in late summer so they still have a bit of time to reestablish before chilly temperatures return.

Deeply cut Anemone foliage which last year I mistook for a weed and nearly tossed in the compost pile. It bloomed in April, much to my delight and I'm unsure if it ever completely died back. We had a mild winter, meaning no snow, and I'm curious to see if blooms come earlier this year.

An inky blue pansy the little guy potted up in my Little Sprouts class last year. It's been outside up near the house all winter and is probably farther along than some in the garden.

Latest tools in my gardening collection: a hori-hori from the dear husband and a canvas tool box thingy I scored in my family's white elephant gift exchange. I love the hori-hori because it's so versatile, serving as a knife, shovel or ruler. It's especially nice for cutting out particularly nasty weeds. Perfect!

For anyone interested in seeing exactly what I'm up against with the grass, here ya' go. To the left front of the Cherry tree you can just make out the foliage of my poppies. I must get this grass under control before they and the Lupine really start growing. Otherwise it gets rather tricky to get in there and yank it out. Grrrr ...

What have we here?

Searching for more winter interest in the garden can sometimes be quite the chore. My list of must-haves is already quite long but clearly needs a section devoted to plants that shine this time of year. However, I haven't entirely given up up on my little garden. And because of that it will surprise me with a bit of color, not necessarily in flowering form.

The tall bearded Iris has started it's regrowth. This eventually becomes quite the wall of deep purple flowers that literally are stacked atop themselves. Anyone who comments on them is promised a bag full of the tubers if I ever get around to digging some up. I've promised some to Molly since she sent me off with some Siberian Iris from her gardens.

These came with the house so I don't have the varietal name. But it really is quite a lovely flower, although I've never detected any scent, which apparently is common in Iris "Jane Phillips." My Iris are usually in full bloom by mid-May, and then they start developing really cool seed pods that I only notice in the past couple seasons thanks to my lazy gardening technique of not getting around to trimming up the dying foliage.

Catkins of Contorted Filbert are happily hanging out. I'd wanted this plant for a couple years and finally got one last year. It's been a welcome addition to the front garden.

A golden cypress brightening the front bed.