by Meeshka Brand | Feb 26, 2014 | Plants, Flowers & Trees
If keeping up with landscaping trends and outdoor spaces is important to you, there’s no better event to go to in the Seattle area than the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. It’s an annual destination for Colby and I, and what many local garden aficionados consider to be the harbinger of spring’s soon arrival.
This year we went for one day only – on Saturday – which meant we had to bob, weave and really move in order to see everything on our list. After all, we’re talking about a show that includes a full acre of show gardens, over 300 exhibitors and vendors, and 5 days of back-to-back horticulture seminars.
The show gardens are our absolute favorite thing about the show, a feeling I’m sure is shared by many. Regional landscape architects, designers, landscapers, suppliers and nurseries collaborate to create jaw-dropping show gardens which are constructed in less than 72 hours. It’s an awesome feat; you can watch the process here. This year’s theme was ‘Art in Bloom,’ so it’s no surprise that every garden featured garden art. I’m talking about serious wow factor, as these pictures corroborate.
‘The Art of Upcycling’ designed by Judith Jones of Fancy Fronds & Vanca Lumsden
One of the first gardens we viewed was Dan & Will Robinson’s of Elandan Gardens, pictured below. I cannot speak highly enough of Dan’s work as a designer and landscaper. Colby and I were both in awe of his artful arrangement of decorative rock, some of which appeared to be 5-man rock (landscaping speak for really, really large rocks). Even more impressive was the fact that many of the black pines included in the landscape were pruned and trained for over 50 years from seed by Dan himself.
‘Quiet Beauty – The Japanese Garden Aesthetic: Celebrating Traditions, Transforming Visions’ designed by Dan & Will Robinson
Across the way was Karen Stefonick’s show garden which, in our opinion, should have won the Founder’s Cup (Best in Show) award. Complete Landscape, Inc and Moon Shadows Landscape Lighting, LLC installed this dramatic landscape. Elegant and meditative, this garden featured clean lines that were softened by natural rock, thoughtful plantings and a refined sense of color. A massive blown glass orchid created by Seattle glass artist Jason Gamrath reigned over the garden, while a group of striking pitcher plants created a focal point in the rectangular pond. I could have sat in this garden for hours.
‘Darwin’s Muse – Art Imitating Life’ designed by Karen Stefonick Design
If you missed the show this year, mark your calendar for 2015 as the dates are already set for February 11 – 15. And if you did make it earlier this month, log in to Facebook and let us know which show garden was your favorite!
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties
by Meeshka Brand | Apr 13, 2013 | Plants, Flowers & Trees
Last year we created garden beds at the entrance of our home.
It was about time; before doing so, you would have never guessed that landscapers lived here!
Thanks to a very large maple tree, the area gets a ton of shade, and so we planted a variety of hostas among other shade loving plants like Aucuba japonica, Rhododendron eximium, and Dicentra spectabilis.
Our hostas began to push out of the ground a few weeks ago, and while none of them have totally leafed out, a few already wear the signs of slug damage.
One must be vigilant when protecting her hostas from slugs! And I am determined to win this battle.
After all, this is what I want to see…
photo courtesy Fransen Hostas
Not this.
photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden
So what to do?
After searching on YouTube for answers, I found a woman espousing her technique of combining ammonia and water to use on her hostas.
She claims that the concoction – 1 part ammonia to 4 parts water – when poured directly onto her hostas as they shoot out of the ground, will kill slug eggs at the base of the plant and prevent slugs from eating the hosta’s foliage.
Watch the video here.
Once her hostas have totally leafed out, she continues to use the concoction, though reduces the amount of ammonia by 10%. With all the rain we get here, I may be out in the garden a few times a week to tend to my hostas.
Between this new trick and Sluggo, I aim to win.
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
by Meeshka Brand | Feb 26, 2013 | Plants, Flowers & Trees
2013’s Northwest Flower & Garden Show was truly spectacular. We allowed ourselves two full days to take in the awesome show gardens, informative seminars, and meet vendors in the marketplace. It was such an inspiring experience that we’re already excited for next year!
For those of you who couldn’t make it to the event, here are selected images of the display gardens. The theme was “The Silver Screen Takes Root… Gardens Go Hollywood,” in honor of the show’s 25th anniversary.
As Ciscoe says… ooh la la!
Living Amongst the Stars – The Garden Takes Center Stage
Created by the Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association with Sublime Garden Design
In a Garden Far, Far Away – An Edible Forest Sanctuary
Created by Native Root Designs LLC with Carter Evans Wood Concepts & Northwest Nurseries Inc
Jardin Noir – Film Noir Style in a Modern Garden
Created by Barbara Lycett Landscape Design
A Hobbit’s New Zealand Garden – Middle Earth Meets the Arboretum’s New Eco-Geographic Forest
Created by Washington Park Arboretum
Backyard Box Office
Created by Fancy Plants Gardens Inc
California Dreaming
Created by Under the Arbor Landscape Design with McAuliffe’s Valley Nursery & Falling Water Designs
Let us know which display garden is your favorite in the comments section below!
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
