Trade Show Tips

Check out award-winning garden displays

Many garden shows give out awards, and the winning gardens are a great place to pick up ideas. Noticing the little things, such as the type of plants used or hidden garden accents, will help you bring the theme's true essence to your own garden.

If you can't bring home a full-scale show garden, build a smaller version in containers. One inspirational container contrasts plants with black and lime-green foliage (figure B). Here, the charcoal-gray pot is planted with dark-foliaged Phormium and Heuchera 'Obsidian'. The variegated foliage of the vine and lime-green euphorbia stand out in contrast against the dark foliage and pot. White recycled glass mulch completes the container.

Go shopping

After being inspired by the display gardens for ideas for your own garden, the best place to shop for the materials you'll need is the garden show. Here you can find pots of all shapes, sizes and colors as well as unusual garden accents for sale. This is a great place to buy cool and unique plants that you wouldn't normally find at a local nursery.

Note: When visiting garden shows, it's a good idea to wear comfortable walking shoes because you'll be spending a lot time on your feet. Have a clipboard ready for jotting down ideas, and carry a bag for snacks and water to keep you going.

Re-create your own show garden

For a black-and-white, late-winter container (figure D), Binetti begins with a black, lightweight polyethylene pot. She fills it with white-flowering hellebores and silver-budded pussy willows. To add the dark contrasting colors, she mixes in black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'), 'Obsidian' heuchera and ajuga. Inexpensive polished white rocks and a white stone egg complete the entire look.

So how's that for inspiration? All in one place, you can grab all kinds of great ideas and purchase all the gardening goods you need to build your very own show garden.

Products
containers – Campania International (A wholesale company; check their website or e-mail the company to find a Campania dealer in your community.)