The long-awaited Northwest Flower and Garden Show (NWFGS) set up in Seattle in February, and I went in search of inspiration and treasures. This post is Part One, where I share some highlights from the artists and other vendors who captured my attention. In Part Two, I’ll take you on a tour of my favorite Show Gardens and Competitions. Someday I’ll post pictures of the garden I designed for the 2011 show, but for now, here are some of my favorite finds from 2018.
Links to the artists and vendors are located throughout and at the end of this post. I don’t have any financial connections with these folks, so the links are here for your convenience and to support the gardening community. Enjoy the show!
Of all the many beautiful and useful items at the show, the eco-friendly choices were most dear to my heart. Here are my top three eco-picks:
Eco-Pick 1: Organic Lavender Products
Pelindaba is an organic lavender farm which makes algae inhibiting bales from lavender stems and barley straw. I use these at my own home (in Ambassador Anura’s Pond), so I can attest to their effectiveness.
My writer’s imagination was also inspired by Pelindaba’s copper still that held a beaker of organic lavender oil, another product they handcraft and sell. On a dreary, drizzly Seattle day, I plan to hop on a ferry and visit their farm on San Juan Island where lavender grows well in the rain-shadow of the Pacific Northwest. (Please see my eco-note about copper at the end of this post.)
Eco-Pick 2: Orchard Mason Bee Products and Education
Here are a few fun facts that I learned from Jim Ullrich, of Knox Cellars Mason Bees:
- Raising orchard mason bees is a perfect child-friendly project. These bees are typically gentle. A male orchard mason bee has no stinger and a female rarely (or only mildly) stings.
- In the Pacific Northwest, they are not fair-weather fliers; they are native bees that evolved in our damp and cold conditions. When other bees are inactive, the mason bees are pollinating our gardens. What a good role-model to have on a rainy day when we struggle with going outside!
- They also stay close to their nest, about 100 yards distance, so it makes sense to raise them on your property if you need their pollination help.
- For the latest information, Jim suggested we read the revised edition of The Orchard Mason Bee by Brian Griffin. I’m no longer bee-wildered after listening to Jim!
Eco-Pick 3: Garden Sheds from Reclaimed Materials
Bob Bowling builds adult-sized garden sheds and kid-sized free libraries from reclaimed wood and rusty metal. The picture above was taken in low light conditions and doesn’t do justice to his talent. You can see photos of Bob’s fabulous sheds and other creations on his social media. As an artisan, he also belongs in the next grouping.
The Artisans
Where would the world be without artists? In the world of gardening, three-dimensional art performs many functions. It can make the outside feel like an inside room, provide year-round color, or be a show-stopping focal point. Even on a smaller scale, garden accessories can set the tone or style of a garden. And as every horticultural fashionista knows, a touch of bling can remedy any under-dressed setting.
At the show, I took so many photographs of Merrilee Moore‘s glass art that the experience sent me into an altered state. Every angle revealed a new combination of color or form. Trying to decide which photos to post here was impossible! Treat yourself to her website, and you might feel happy, too.
Sean Carleton is an artist who sculpts furniture and lighting from metal, wood, and glass—plus he’s a nice guy, and his outdoor lights are solar powered. I detect an homage to the craftsman era in his sleek designs. I love functional art!
At Vintage Glass Gardens, Suzanne Quirk creates larger-than-life fantasy flowers from layers of recycled and repurposed glassware. It was a real treat to meet her in person, surrounded by hundreds of these glass lovelies. If I were a glass flower in a child’s garden, I’d want to be crafted by this artist. Suzanne’s website lists her upcoming shows.
Maps have extraordinary power over me. Instantly, I’m transported. I don’t even try to resist. At the Bella Maps display, I listened to my inner-explorer and went on a short vacation. They craft heirloom-quality wooden game boards and three-dimensional art, and will even make a custom order for you. How sweet would it be to give someone a map of a sentimental location—perhaps a childhood home or honeymoon destination?
I have many walking sticks, but I don’t have one with a crystal doorknob on top of bamboo! Aren’t they pretty? Maybe even a little magical? Hmmm…perhaps they belong in a future story. You can find the artists through either American Bamboo Company or Bamboo Garden.
The Vintage Garden Market
A few years back, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show began a Vintage Market where one-of-a-kind treasures and objets d’art spontaneously fall into my arms. I go there first and last. First, so I can scan for specifics on my wish-list, and last so I can take a second pass after the crowds have thinned.
Last year I bought an antique cement seahorse that had once been part of a grand, tiered water fountain. Although less than two feet tall, it immediately added a sense of history and maturity to my young cottage garden. I never know what garden accessory I’ll find at the NWFGS, but the vendors tend to bring the best they have to offer.
By now, everyone on Instagram has seen photos of the famous JohnBob’s Pillow Display. But I bet no two pictures are exactly alike. Just like a kaleidoscope, each time a pillow shifted a different colorful design was created. It was fun to paw through the pile in search of the perfect pattern. These two gents gave smiles and kind words to everyone, even after a long day of tending their Pillow Garden.
In addition to pillows, John and Bob had plenty of vintage wares. I loved how they included emerging bulb foliage and flowers into their thoughtfully created vignettes. Their shop of treasures along with the wafts of jasmine were pleasant reminders that the Show Gardens were nearby.
This year I bought housewares and books from SuzieQVintage. The owner understood my taste in literature, and she steered me to just the right stacks. With closing time just minutes away, I bought this Big Big Story Book with only a passing glance at the pages.
The following day as I photographed the book, it fell open to the story of a boy unable to decide which puppy to take home. Upon reading, I saw my husband’s name! Mr. Dingle, a character in the story, suggests that the boy narrow his options to six instead of twenty-six puppies. What serendipity to find our last name of Dingle in print!
Honorable Mention for Being Downright Swell
If I were giving out awards, these guys from Synthetic Turf Northwest would earn it for their good-old-fashioned behavior. They were genuinely congenial, and I was impressed with how they supported their neighbors. Their turf booth was next door to a vendor selling cute dogs made from woven twigs. They bought a doggie from their neighbor, put a roll of turf in its backpack, and displayed it proudly at the entrance. Well played! What a great reminder that kindness and humor, mixed with an adorable animal, can bring joy to almost any weary heart!
I’ll admit, I was physically worn at the end of the day, but buoyed by all the creativity and passion. On my way out the door, I swung past the Show Gardens for one last look. That story belongs in Part Two, which will be ready for you soon.
Hope you enjoyed the first half of the show!
SD
Artist, Vendor, and Show Links:
The Northwest Flower and Garden Show
https://www.facebook.com/nwfgs
https://www.gardenshow.com/
Instagram @nwfgs
http://www.phaidon.com/store/general-non-fiction/plant-exploring-the-botanical-world-9780714871486/
The Plant Book at the beginning of this post.
Pelindaba Lavender
https://www.pelindabalavender.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pelindabalavenderfarm
https://www.pinterest.com/pelindabalav/
Instagram @pelindabalavender
Knox Cellars Mason Bees (Jim Ullrich, Owner)
https://www.knoxcellarsmasonbees.com/about-us
https://www.facebook.com/knoxcellarsmasonbees/
The Orchard Mason Bee by Brian Griffin
https://www.knoxcellarsmasonbees.com/product-page/book-the-orchard-mason-bee
Bob Bowling Rustics (Garden Sheds)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Bob-Bowling-Rustics-118649761489938/posts/
Instagram @Bobbowlingrustics
Merrilee Moore Glass artist
www.merrileemoore.com
Instagram @merrilee_glassartist
Suzanne Quirk
www.VintageGlassGardens.com
Sean Carleton
www.carletonfw.com
Instagram @carletonfinework
Bella Maps
http://www.bellamaps.com
www.americanbambooco.com
http://www.bamboogarden.com
https://www.facebook.com/JOHNBobcooljunk-166735993350886/
Instagram @johnbobcooljunk
SusieQvintage
https://www.facebook.com/susieqvintage/
Synthetic Turf Northwest
www.syntheticturfnorthwest.com
Eco-Note about using copper outside and in the garden: Copper in the water has been shown to harm fish. I’m not a scientist, but I can steer you to the research below. In the Pacific Northwest, we have a lot of water and fish. As a precaution, I’m now limiting copper usage in places where it comes in contact with the soil and the water system. For instance, as much as I love copper rain chains, I no longer use them for their intended purpose outside. You can repurpose them into containers for mini-bouquets or a vertical display of all those tiny treasures found on a nature walk. The ideas are endless.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/consultations/copper_salmon_nmfsnwfsc83.pdf
