SF Garden Show
- Subject: SF Garden Show
- From: E* W*
- Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 20:32:08 -0800
The San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia Flower Shows have much in
common with lots of forced plant materials used in
make- believe gardens by landscapers, art designers and artistic gifted
professionals. Even though I didn't expect to find any new and exciting
plants on the main floor of the Cow Palace, I was disappointed by the
lack of Mediterranean inspired gardens. Just one outstanding garden like
David Leroy's of a few years ago would have been a nice contrast to all
the super green, wet gardens of last weeks show.
Flower shows are grueling experiences which cost tons of money, time and
energy. I'm always blown away at the amazing hardscapes that are
installed for the show rather than by any of the plant materials. This
years wall with unusual tiles and lighted enclaves of stain glass caught
my attention. Unfortunately the whole dynamics of such large commercial
shows attracts large, mainstream businesses that are catering to the
still popular ideas of English/New England/PNW inspired landscapes
rather than more appropriate Mediterranean climate plantings. Even our
westcoast Pacific Horticulture Magazine has through the years had more
than its share of featured English style landscapes. I guess its just a
reflection of where the general public is still oriented.
My favorite parts of the flower show are the small nurseries such as
Annie's Annuals, Larry Lee's Fine Foliage, Robin Parer's
Geraniaceae, some of the orchids booths and as David mention the book
booths, especially Strybing Arboretum and Flora & Fauna. I also look
forward to seeing fellow plant enthusiasts that I unfortunately only see
once a year at the show. I really like the idea of supporting local
non-profits and one store businesses. My new book find at the show was
the new Phillip's & Rix's book on Annuals & Biennials, which has many
California natives and Mediterranean species.
Lets face it...the real exciting appropriate and hot-new plants are
found at local botanic garden plant sales, from fellow gardeners and
horticulturists, specialized small nurseries, the Mediterranean
Gardening Conferences (there is one scheduled for this fall at
Strybing), seed distribution lists and mail order nurseries.
Perhaps someday we will finally have a Mediterranean Climate Flower show
which would be held outdoors in the summer time at some local park or
non profit facility with a tent for the vendors, locally grown
appropriate plants and a rare plant auction fundraiser for some needy
local charity or non-profit. There would even be healthy Medit foods,
olive oil tastings, sage scented cheeses, unusual clay flower pots and
booths of all sorts of related local organizations. I can even imagine
sipping a glass of wine and eating some local sourdough bread which as
been dipped in olive oil, while talking to Sean amongst a landscape of
succulents, sages and some of David's bromeliads. Perhaps then we will
feel that finally a California style of landscaping has emerged from the
lawns and irrigated streets of urban California.
Ernie @ Cabrillo College
