A Visit to the Yard, Garden & Patio Show

Ahhh, it's garden show season once more, and kicking things off, as usual, is the Portland Yard, Garden & Patio Show. I have to admit, I was REALLY tired (and maybe even a little cranky) at the time...so I probably missed a lot of details.


Right at the entrance to the show was a small display featuring this cool sculpture made of old gears. I don't know what it is I love so much about such things...I guess it's the contrast such things have when placed in a garden of soft, green plants.


All of the display gardens are named...but I usually don't pay any attention. I wasn't entirely sure what made this garden "autumnal".


Of course, it's not a garden show without some silly (and some downright dubious) design elements. Even if just inspiration...the grill fountain seems silly.


I did, however, like the swing in the background...although you'd need a pretty big yard for it to not seem overwhelming in scale.


While not something I'd be tempted to replicate, the tapestry of plants here is very effective.


While I generally try to be open-minded, I couldn't help but feel pretty pessimistic about this garden, in particular. One of the weakness of these shows is that plants take a back-seat to the design/hardscape. No where was it more evident than here.


While I kept thinking I should like this fountain...I think the material wasn't quite right...it looked sort of cheap (which I'm sure it wasn't)!


This sculpture, in person, was cool up-close, but from a distance, looked a bit awkward...and unstable...especially since it spun on it's base like a demented ballerina.


Plain trees are such a bore...you really need color-changing LED lights to make them bearable.

I thought this tree was lit with blue light...but it turns out, it was painted this color...what the what!?! As we left this particular garden, I noticed this figure...which, honestly, reminds me of the photos you see of the people buried in ash at Pompeii.


I think it would be so cool to have a stock-tank pond...but I don't know why they didn't have any water plants in it...it seemed very barren.


This was apparently the year of the wood wall...they showed up in various incarnations at a few displays.


I really loved the effect this one gave, of the window into the garden. Again, I know this is really just meant to be inspirational...but this seemed especially impractical...it wouldn't take long for the wood to start settling, and/or breaking down...and then would look kinda sad, right?


I just called this one the ribbon garden...it wasn't bad, a little plain...but had some nice elements.


It's not a garden show if there aren't flames leaping out from every possible object!


I couldn't figure out if this sculpture was part of any particular display, but I kind of loved it!


While I think the 7 Dees people have done basically the same design for the past few years I've gone to this show, it's always very well done...and I'm kind of a sucker for the red-stemmed Dogwoods and Maples. Also, it's the only display garden that feels like it could actually be part of a real (albeit very expensive) garden.


I thought this particular garden (the Urban Edibles Garden) has some of the best ideas for gardeners to take away and use.


I kind of loved this shed!


I was totally digging these raised beds (as long as I get to change the plants, of course).


I can't imagine ever replicating this, but it did look cool.


I have to admit, I sort of find the whole vertical wall gardens a bit of a gimmick...but I loved this iteration of the concept. I keep trying to figure out where I could do something like this. A bonus, it's nice to see people using something other than just succulents for once (although, admittedly, with such a small amount of soil...they would be the most likely to survive in such a setting).

Here we see yet another wood-wall...and I love the pavers on the right.


There were a few nurseries on site selling plants...I didn't see anything tempting. Ok...the Alliums were tempting...but I planted about a million of them last fall...so I should probably see what comes up before adding more!


Since most of the plants didn't trip my trigger, I decided to get another piece of metal art for the garden...as leaving empty-handed would have seemed a bit sad. Luckily, I actually really like this piece...and here it is, already in my garden.

I hope you enjoyed our little romp around the YGP show...if you were in the Portland Area, did you go...what were your most/least favorite aspects of the show? Most importantly, what did I miss (or wrongly dismiss) in my report???