NW FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW REPORT

Oh my wonderful garden show, what have they done to you? Yes it is true. My flower show went Hollywood. and I would like it back. Blame it on my distaste for things Californian  blame it on my week long battle with a tooth that wants/needs a root canal, or maybe the show and more likely this years theme just sucked. Gone this year are displays that challenged my imagination; gone also are displays that showed me what I might do in my own yard, garden. But definitely, the show organizers are going to have to bring back the cute gardens that one could find in a NW setting--- gardens with VW Buses acting as chicken coops and tool sheds, gardens that could make an apartment or condo dweller feel like Old MacDonald, one that truly showed what one can do with some old used valve bodies and a recirculating pump.
Anyway, my ranting aside, there where many good things at this years show:

 High hopes- at the entrance a bike made from re-bar hold planters of flowers

Nicest water feature at the show:

 A Hobbit Hole?- Yes please

 Planters got a make over, this one in a Movie themed garden

 AN out house with complimentary parking

 Now what kid wouldn't want a deluxe sand box?

 I do love this fire pit with glass flames

 And I have a thing for glass flowers

 depsite the shows theme- there where a few nice water features

 And I did fall in love with a few items in the Marketplace

(even if Blossom is mispelled)

No Post Until Later

TODAY'S POST WILL BE LATER AS I AM AT THE NW FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW BUT IT SHOULD BE UP
BY 8 PM TONIGHT!
3 guesses on what the topic will be!

The Show is Coming!!!

The 25th Annual NW Flower and Garden Show is coming next week to the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. I plan to go on Friday, 2/22. I always pick up some great ideas, tips and few items my garden might need like fiddle playing frogs!

Romeo and I enjoy a tune from Kershaw, the fiddle playing frog!

A day of Summer inside, always a nice break from cold and rainy Seattle weather!

NW Flower and Garden Show 2012

Well the annual North West Flower and Garden show was everything I wanted this year. There where a lot of excitement over the fact that not only one display garden featured re-use and urban farming but it was seen through out the show!

You just gotta love decent re-use. Here, Cascadian Edible Landscaping shows what is possible from and old WV Bus- The front half is a tool shed/green house while...

the back half acts as a chicken coop for the resident chickens!

The eat your yard Ladies!

Also featured at the Cascadian Edible Landscaping display garden was a lot of sensible ways to create planters and gardens like this neat little "Block garden" fillled with edible plants!

This wall garden is made from recycled materials and sits above a rain barrel that it uses for water wicking!
FROM OTHER GARDENS AT THE FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW:

This illustrates that you don't need to buy potato bags to grow potatoes- you can reuse old burlap coffee bean bags!

I never thought before that you can reuse old duct work to make raise beds and/or planters!

Seattle Urban Farming Company shows a little inspiration with these neat music themed planters!

So now I am re-inspired to plant in my garden once again! With new Ideas and such- more than I could put here! Anybody got a piano or drum set they're not using? How about a VW Bus???

Eat This!

Photo from Cascadian Edible Landscapes

See All you gotta do is complain. Last year after the Annual Seattle Flower and garden show, I made a comment on the questionaire that they sent me about the fact there where no displays of urban farming. Looks like they listened, or somebody had a great idea (probably the latter)- The folks at Cascadian Edible Landscapes came up with this design for an Urban garden that looks like it could be just what I was wishing for. It will be on display at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Feb 8th - Feb 12th 2012, at the Washington State Convention Center. Well worth the price of admission! I will probably go on February 10 if anyone wants to meet up let me know at robj98168@yahoo.com

NW Flower and Garden Show 2011

Well I went to the NW Flower and Garden show this year, and I have to say for the first time in about a decade of attending I left kind of disappointed. Maybe it is because I look forward to the fantastic display gardens, or maybe because I look forward to finding new ideas and items for use in the garden. Or more likely I didn't see any gardens representing sustainability. Maybe the Dervaes' Debacle has all the designers scared - they are afraid of getting sued if they design a display garden representing urban homesteading. Maybe they don't want people digging in dirt and growing their own food. Whatever the reason, it was disappointing. There were however a couple of highlights as a few purchases: I bought a hoedag and a Nicolle Dass print:

Above: the HoeDag, Below Nicole Dass Print

What I wish for my backyard to look like

Interesting reuse for water bottles


I really want to make an edible version of this

NW FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW IS COMING

Spring is coming a bit early this year!!! At least the Northwest Flower and Garden show is. Scheduled for February 23-27 at the Washington State Convention Center, it is one of the largest shows of it’s type in the nation.Besides the many great gardens that will be there, I will get to see some of my favorite Vendors like Beez Neez Apairy-who trade in Mason bee housing, materials and cocoons; Natures Fresh Start-(Garden stake trellis for garden and containers); Lee Valley Tools-(Garden hand tools and accessories); and By the Yard Oregon- that sells Maintenance Free outdoor furniture from recycled milk jugs And also get to see some great lecturers and attend some good seminars. I even have my question ready for Ciscoe Morris! So escape winter, even for an afternoon and come frolic in the gardens at the NW Flower and Garden Show. PS There is an online Discount if you buy your tickets early!

One more thing!

I just had to show you all one more thing from the Garden show:
This box trellis at the entrance of the NW Flower and Garden show was one of my fave things. A good use for all those worn out yard tools,
Okay a couple of things: I picked up this little Sax Playing frog to keep Doug the fiddler player company. I keep it up, someday I will have a complete Frog Band.:

NW Flower and Garden Show 2010

This year, I took the light rail to Westlake Mall and walked from there to the Convention Center in Seattle. Great invention that Light Rail!
The annual NW Flower and Garden show was the best ever! There was an subliminally apparent theme of Urban Farming, I counted 4 displays that used the theme from the exotic to Humorous. There was some worry that the show, now being run by O'Loughlin Trade Shows after all the years the Kelly family had run it, would be more commercial than past shows, but I didn't notice that. If anything the vendors were better than before, I saw a lot of "Re-Use" artist represented, as well as a lot of old favorites. And the Exhibitors well very good this year. The only down side was I missed my friends Beth and Lisa's seminar this year!
As usual, I found a lot of inspiration, like this arbor with a gate/door

As I said there were a lot of Urban Farms depicted in this years show!

Who wouldn't want an old truck parked on their neighbors yard as a raised garden and doubling as a hen house? This actually gives me ideas for the trailer project I need to get started on!

ABOVE:Interesting use of the passenger window to remove eggs
BELOW:Lot's of reuse like this planter made from Bottles and Hypertufa:
Many of this years vendors were reuse artists:
Seattle Tilth showed what is possible with their Gold Medal winning Urban Farms display
this goat seems to think All you people can just look at me. I need a nap.
More chickens:
And a couple of Vids: Swimming Au Naturale: features a swimming pond with Natural filtration! (Plants do the filtering!)

NW FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW

Okay I can't hold my excitement. The NW Flower and Garden Show is just around the corner. February 3-7th, at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center, in Seattle. Why, Rob, do you attend a flower show, when you are a he-man manly-man man? Well I like to garden. And I like to get ideas for my yard, like the one year a fence for around the garden, made of broken shovels, tools, and an Ironing board. You know... Shit I will never make. And B- there are new products to see and not buy! (The scourge of all trade show salesman- people that have no intention of buying) But seriously, I do enjoy the show. And I enjoy the creativity. So I am getting my back pack ready-
Water Bottle, Check.
Lunch snack and Light Rail Money? Check.
Muggsly? Check

AWW Dad... Let me go... I got my pack, and I can help you carry things home... Pleeeaaase let me go with!

Dog Treats, Dog Leash? Check---WHAT? No Romeo- you cannot go with me. You be good and protect the house. Sorry Buddy. Too Many people. And too many trees planted- You would go into cuteness overload. Really.And with all those trees planted you know what would happen.
Anyway- If anyone wants to meet up- send me an email at robj98168@yahoo.com and we will go have a coffee or something. There are a ton of eating and restaurant type places there.

Inspiration from the Internets

Well I have wanted to write a blog post about some of the inspirational places I go for ideas about junking and re-use in general.So here is a few of the great blogs I have visit. Some of them I have added to my blogroll, and some are great for a visit!

OUT OF OFFICE This is apparently a blog from Fed Ex, and yes it promotes their products and services. But it also gives a person great ideas and such for creative items. Written by Fed Ex employees.
About.com:Family Crafts technically isn't a blog, but this Sherri Osborn is not technically Ozzie's wife. She does write a blog about crafting. I find a lot of great ideas there for gift making, using junk to make stuff, and releasing my inner-child.
Junk Market Style is another great place to find inspiration. People all over the country share Items they make from junk. Written by Sue Whitney, She has been featured on NBC's Today show and many others and is creator of JUNK MARKET STYLE magazine and many other "junk publications".
One more place I go to for inspiration is Beth and Lisa's Salvage Studio blog. You didn't think the idea of using brass lamps to make birdbaths just popped into my head, did you? It is these gals idea. They also wrote a book, the Salvage Studio and give workshops on junking and crafting. You can hear Beth talk about outdoor entertaining Salvage Style at this years Northwest Flower and Garden Show! (More about the show tomorrow).

So there you have it. A few of the places on the "interweb" that I go to for inspiration. Along with all your blogs! Were do you go for inspiration?

The Flower and Garden show is saved!

Great news for any local fans of the NW Flower and Garden show- it has been sold to O’Loughlin Trade Shows of Portland and Tacoma according to press release through the NW Flower& Garden Show website. This means that my and many others favorite Garden Party will continue in Seattle. Slated for February 3 through the 7th at The Washington State Convention And Trade Center in Seattle. Great news indeed.

Ciscoe Morris, Rebecca Cole and pot recycling

CISCOE MORRIS

Yesterday, I spent the day at the NW Flower and Garden Show. Today I am going to talk about every NW Gardeners favorite spaz- Ciscoe Morris! We have been able to watch Ciscoe for years on King TV's Gardening With Ciscoe. Ciscoe, along with Meghan Black, his partener in crime, shows us how to solve common gardening problems. The spots blossomed into a Weekly show on cable's North West Cable News channel. Now I called Ciscoe a spaz, but I call him that with the highest respect and admiration. It's like when I call cheap vegetable gardener "Garden Geek"- only because he intrigates computers with gardening. Anyway, Ciscoe always has good advice and great things to share about gardening. Maybe someday I will ask him why the hell I have such a hard time growing broccoli! BTW I classify myself a "garden nerd"! And I have the coffee cup to prove it!
REBECCA COLE
Rebecca Cole, That little media darling, I first saw her on tv's surpise by design with Robert Verdi, was broadcasting her radio show "On the House" with Rebbeca Cole and the Carey Brothers from the Flower and Garden Show. It was fun listening to how she set up her display garden, how it transports (It will also be in the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show this year), she talked with the contractors that helped build it. It is all done with smoke and mirrors folks! It is set up on a trailer flatbed, which they jacked up and removed the axles and lowered to the ground! Her design was nice, but I am not so convinced it was gold medal worthy- Which she won- but it was cool - and her "Building" in the display had solar panels- or what represented solar panels! Always glad to see a display display green building methods
RECYCLE THOSE POTS
Now for recycling pots- And now I am not talking about cleaning your bong or pipe and resmoking the resin-I am talking about plastic planting pots! I know many of your save them to re-use and that is most excellent, but what do you do when they start coming out your ears? Ciscoe Morris's site has a link to a PDF file on recycling plastic plant pots and who takes them- This just basically covers Seattle and King County, but if you have a greenhouse or nursery near you- Ask! They may take in your old pots! Recycling old or broken pottery pots is easy as well- Just break it up more and use the shards for drainage in your new pots in place of stones!