Garden Show impressions

Our local San Francisco Flower & Garden Show came to an end this past 
weekend, a huge event attended by thousands from around the Bay Area.  My 
wife and I always help out at the Pacific Horticulture booth and this year 
I also gave a talk (on the mediterranean climate).

Each year I feel more and more ambivalent about the large garden display 
created for the show.  In discussions with others who are part of the show 
or who attend each year, it is still unclear to me what these garden 
displays are intended to do for the general viewing public.  I am all for 
creativity, drama, impact, and feel that the show requires this in the 
displays.  But so often these gardens are so far removed from what is 
possible under out local conditions that I find it somewhat 
nauseating.  One of the most beautiful (to my eye) this year was a huge 
display with giant golden seated Buddha surrounded by lush tropicals, 
including many huge specimen bromeliads that clearly came from southern 
California and were no doubt greenhouse grown.  I think we should be 
experimenting with more bromeliads in the garden as they are often very 
appropriate, but these were not in this category.

All to often the plant material used in these display is arranged for color 
or impact and represents combinations that would be nearly impossible to 
grow in a garden in the same arrangement.  Also, designers must choose from 
what is currently available as these 'plantings' show.  Too often the 
plants used are not from the more interesting collections of innovative 
growers who are more likely to have climate appropriate species.

Two years ago, our local branch of the MGS created a 'vignette' display 
(small garden displays for non-profits) at this garden show that received 
lots of good reviews, not only for its climate appropriate plantings, but 
also because it felt like the kind of garden many people coming to show 
would like for themselves.

I am curious to hear from anyone who might have gone to this particular 
garden show regarding what they feel they'd like to see in the big, main 
floor display gardens.  I'd also be interested in hearing about other 
garden shows, in other places, and how regionalism or climate 
appropriateness was addressed in those.

Regards,
Seán O.

No. Calif. Branch of the Mediterranean Garden Society
Seán A. O'Hara - Branch co-chair
(510) 987-0577; fax (707) 667-1173; sean@support.net
710 Jean Street, Oakland, California 94610-1459, U.S.A.
http://www.MediterraneanGardenSociety.org/branches_CANo.html
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