Tag Archive | garden show

The Hendersonville Garden Jubilee, 2019

May28

2019

 

So, What Can I Add To the Garden This Year?

 

This past Saturday, I headed for the cool North Carolina mountains to attend the Garden Jubilee Festival. Over 250 vendors set up their booths on the streets of downtown Hendersonville, on Saturday and Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It was going to be hot, but Charlotte was going to be hotter. We’ve been stuck in this prolonged period of July-like weather, and the grass is already browning out.

I love going to garden shows. Rain or shine, but, preferably, not extreme heat. This is the type of venue where my little horticultural company, Wellspring Gardens, sold herbs and vegetables, annuals, perennials, seasonal plants, and houseplants…succulent dish gardens, herb gardens in decorative clay pots, and colorful combinations. If it sounds as if I would like to do this again…well, you’re right.

Many of the vendors I met last year were back again. Some who braved constant rain a few weeks ago in Waynesville were here in Hendersonville, happier about the weather. This garden show traditionally runs during Memorial Day weekend. Here are some of the booths I visited.

 

water feature, Hendersonville garden jubilee

 

 

Water Dance

 

“Water Feature Specialist”

This outdoor display (photo, above) required 5 hours to set up on Main Street. The company installs water gardens, patios, and other landscape projects. They also maintain them.

www.waterdancellc.com, waterdancellc@gmail.com.  828 687-9007, 828 712-8268.

 

 

Brigg’s Garden Center, Horse Shoe NC

 

I started the day at Brigg’s, after finding a shady parking space. They had lots of annuals, perennials, and shrubs, including blooming hydrangeas. A few pots of blue/lavender Hydrangeas clustered around a blue ceramic seat created a lovely color combination.

They demonstrated, under the city’s trees within their space, the value of repeating colors within a garden by grouping plants with related colors. Lots of customers. I bought a few bright yellow Sanvitalia, or creeping Zinnia, for pots.

Briggsgardencenternc.com.

 

 

Stepp’s Plants, Etc., Flat Rock NC

 

swingtime fuchsia

Fuchsias like cooler temperatures, such as eastern (morning) sun. And hummingbirds love them.

Stepp’s had the biggest and some of the best-grown plants at the show. Their specialty, at this show anyway, was large combination hanging baskets. Nice combinations, good healthy plants, beautiful, and selling like hotcakes!

One or two plants filled the little red wagons that customers carted them around in. Gorgeous fuchsias, million bells (Calibrachoa), petunias…

steppsplants@yahoo.com. Larry Jr., Gayle, and Larry Stepp. 828 243-5299.

 

 

 

Plant Smart Shade Gardens

 

Karen had a large collection of Hosta varieties, from large growing plants to miniatures to unusuals. Tiny golden ‘Little Miss Muffet’ grows only 4″ tall, nice for tucking between rocks or at the edge of a shady garden walk. ‘Whee!’ grows to 15″ tall and has rippled edges. ‘Golden Tiara’, with gold margins, quickly fills a space and is a medium small variety.

Hosta breeders are trying to bring new features to this huge genus. Several recent introductions have red petioles, including ‘Fire Island’ and ‘Miss Susie’, two that were represented here. Informative signs.

George and Karen Smart, hostas@alwaysplantsmart.com, facebook.com/AlwaysPlantSmart.

 

 

 

 

Barry Farms

 

Lots of herbs, including uniquely fragrant patchouli, and hardy succulents. They also had one of my favorite annuals, the variegated Nasturtium ‘Alaska’, which is both pretty and edible.

barryfarms@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

Landy’s Woods, Nebo NC

 

Natural log and wood planters. Simply drop in a large pot of plants and add some moss to the edge for a finished look.

Landyswoods@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

MrMaple, East Flat Rock NC

 

Concurrently with this event, MrMaple on Saturday hosted the “MrMaple Festival 2019” in East Flat Rock. Ever popular Japanese maples and other species, many rare varieties…and expert advice to ensure longevity (for the tree) in the garden.

 

Japanes maple Red Filigree Lace

‘Red Filigree Lace’ Japanese maple.

 

mrmaple.com. Tim Nichols 828 551-6739, and Matt Nichols 828 226-5684, facebook.com/japanesemaple. Open to the public by appointment.

 

 

Linda’s Plants

 

Many nicely-grown flowering plants, including Osteospermum, Verbena, herbs, sweet potato vine. Busy booth!

lindasplants.com.

 

Lindas plants, Hendersonville garden jubilee

Linda’s Plants.

 

 

Ziba Cards and Jewelry

 

zibaKaren had hundreds of glass-covered pendants for sale. Images in a broad range of subjects (birds, zebras, plants and flowers, religious, inspirational, insects, graphics, music…).

Karen Rollefson, www.zibacards.com, zibacards@gmail.com. 704 806-1725.

 

 

 

 

 

caristo silver jewelryCaristo Jewelry Designs, Asheville NC

 

Silver bracelets with free “organic” design, and nicely detailed enameled (cloisonné) earrings and pins.

Southern Highland Craft Guild. www.caristojewelrydesigns.com, caristojewelry@yahoo.com. Linda 828 691-7700 and Carl 828 778-7247.

 

 

 

 

Wildwood Herbal

 

pink gypsophila“Plants-Produce-Cannabis”

Succulents, herbs…this is where I found the pink flowering gypsophila that’s going into the small wire basket on the deck. I used to grow one like this from seed, nice in smaller combinations. I’ll post the cultivar name as soon as I can recall its name (‘Pink Fairy’?).

Darsey Driver, 336 692-7615, Darsey@wildwoodherbal.org. And Seth Salmon, 828 407-3339, Seth@wildwoodherbal.org.

 

 

 

Dean Epperson

 

Hand-made natural live-edge wood tables and seats, complete with Ambrosia beetle tunnels and verticillium streaks. So…bugs and fungus, but beautiful bugs and fungus! Nature is awesome.

deanepperson@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

Memories by Laura, Franklin NC

 

“Vintage Framed Memory Art & One of a kind collectibles”

Teacups, old keys, crystal butter dishes, small cut glass bowls, glass beads, decorative metal accents and other treasures fused in a glass panel and framed.

Hang them in windows or wherever light passes through them if plants are kept in the cups. Try small succulents and tillandsias (air plants).

Laura Williams—LL Design, www.MemoryGlassArt.com, laura34275@gmail.com. 942 223-9109.

 

 

 

dancing peacock mapleHigh Country Nursery

 

Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ (Dancing Peacock), must be spectacular in full autumn “plumage”, when showing off its scarlet and orange foliage.

japmaple.com.

 

 

 

 

green wind chimesWindy Mountain Chimes, Asheville NC

 

Stained glass of the audible kind, including wind chimes in red-white-and-blue, appropriate for this Memorial Day weekend.

I bought one in peaceful shades of green, with glass and beads hanging from an old horse shoe.

Mother enjoys the nice sound when we “accidentally” bump into it, where it temporarily hangs on the kitchen wall.

Denise Parlier, mtnchimesandcrafts@gmail.com. 828 667-3518.

 

 

 

J & B Herb & Plant Farm, Inc., Roxboro NC

 

Bay laurel! I had just run out of the last of the dried bay leaves, so I bought a nice, full plant. Make sure you’re buying Laurus nobilis for cooking, since other similar laurels are toxic if ingested. J & B carries a wide variety of organically grown herbs, vegetables, and scented geraniums.

On my way back to the truck, I bought a pot of Origanum ‘Compactum‘, a marjoram with velvety leaves and wonderfully aromatic fragrance. Although both of these herbs are hardy to zone 8 or in a protected microclimate here in zone 7b, I lost the two that I had a few years ago. But I’m not going to take the chance again, and will keep these potted herbs outside in the summer and inside during the coldest parts of winter.

www.facebook.com/JandBHerbFarm.

 

 

 

 

Bella Bonsai

 

Many species of potted bonsai…tiny-leaved variegated Serissa, variegated Schefflera arboricola, dwarf Pomegranate (with fruit), citrus plants (with fruits), Fukien tea. But the showstopper is the old Yaupon Holly that had been cut back as a mature plant, sprouting above a magically, fantastically gnarled trunk (photographs, below).

Larry Morton, BellaBonsaiNursery.com, bellabonsainursery@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Hendersonville Bee City

 

gulf fritillary butterfly

Female gulf fritillary butterfly.

“Celebrate Pollinator Month by learning about how bees, birds, and butterflies are crucial to our native plant habitats, local agriculture and the health of our communities.”

You’ve come to the right place, to this display, if you want to know anything about bees. Information on an initiative to repopulate the environment with bees and other pollinators can be found at Hendersonville.gov/bee-city, with a month-long calendar of events. June is, after all, Pollinator Month. Proceeds from plant sales go toward painting a mural on one of the Hendersonville buildings. I bought a perennial Passiflora (photo, right, with one of the dozens of gulf fritillary butterflies that laid eggs on the vine).

Hendersonville.gov/bee-city.

 

 

 

Muddy Llama Pottery Studio, Zirconia NC

 

“From Earth to Art”

Among the collection of bowls, mugs, vases, and (I had to ask) sponge racks, some had salamander handles and real leaf impressions. Most of their pottery is sold through retail stores.

 

 

Cathey Chet, muddyllamapottery@yahoo.com.  828 674-2671.

 

 

 

Canvas bags, hats; shows in Hendersonville, WaynesvilleAll Things Canvas, Bryson City NC

 

“Hats—made of 100% cotton duck. Bags—made of 100% Acrylic Sunbrella®. Highly resistant to UV rays, water and mildew.”

Well-made, and in nice colors, these items will last a long time.

Jan Kleinrath, www.jansallthingscanvas.com, info@jansallthingscanvas.com. 828 788-1767.

 

 

 

 

Preston Montague

 

“Artist, Educator, Landscape Designer”

I bought a card, but I doubt if it will be mailed away. It shows a flurry of monarch butterflies. Meticulously detailed natural elements in all of his artwork, and in the display—mosses, bracket fungi, and a cicada!

 

 

Preston Montague, carolinanaturalist.com, naturalistnc@gmail.com. 336 558-6137.

 

 

The Silk Thread, Franklinton NC

 

“Eco printing. I gather leaves, plants and flowers and through a natural process, transpose Nature’s actual colors, designs and faux textures onto pure silk in my NC Studio.”

Silk and raw silk, naturally imprinted with leaves, moss, and even pecans! Treat yourself to something unique and beautiful. Clothing, purses, scarves. Exquisite compositions.

Theresa Brown, theresa@thesilkthread.com. 919 880-7431.

 

 

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yaupon holly at Hendersonville Garden Jubilee

A woman sitting under a huge tree?? Actually, it’s the Yaupon holly bonsai, from Bella Bonsai, less than 2 feet tall.

 

 

Hendersonville Garden Jubilee 2019

 

oaklead hydrangea, Hendersonville garden show

Oakleaf hydrangea in one of the large streetside planters.

This show was sponsored by Lowe’s, “Our State” Magazine, and the city of Hendersonville NC. The schedule included 5 presentations each day, with topics ranging from plants for shade, unique trees, native plants, pruning, and lawns to native bees, composting, mushroom logs, starting a veggie garden, and joy in gardening.

Thank goodness for the shade cast by trees up and down the street. Lots of shrubs and perennials were in bloom, adding to this town’s reputation for bringing ambiance to the busy downtown shopping district. “Leave your pets comfortably at home” during show hours.

There were some food vendors, and Hershey’s ice cream, whose chocolate chip mint hit the spot! And, of course, the local shops and restaurants were ready and waiting for visitors.

VisitHendersonvilleNC.org. 800 828-4244.

 

Thanks to all the participants, the sponsors, and the crowds for making this another successful event. Great show, Hendersonville!

 

 

The 2020 Hendersonville Garden Jubilee

 

***Update*** 5/1/2020: The 2020 Garden Jubilee will have a different look this year, in order to enforce hygiene and social distancing required by state and federal authorities.

So, in 2020, the festival will take place from May 22 through May 25, from 9 to 5, but not in downtown Hendersonville. Instead, booths will be clustered at various nurseries and other sites in the area.

***Update*** 5/22/2020: This link will give you updated information and a list of participants. In 2020, downtown Hendersonville was awarded Accredited Main Street America recognition for maintaining a vibrant economic community in their historic downtown.

Until the vaccines come along, we need to follow such practices so fewer of us become casualties. My best wishes for your good health, and I’ll see you in Hendersonville…or thereabouts!

 

 

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Whole Bloomin’ Thing Festival: A Garden Show

May13


2019

 

Last Saturday, the Frog Level Association held its annual “Whole Bloomin’ Thing Festival” on the streets of downtown Waynesville, North Carolina. When a leisurely road trip, the need to explore, and a garden show align in one day, I’m on my way!

 

whole bloomin' thing garden show, waynesville nc

Geranium baskets and annuals.

 

Unfortunately, the weather forecast did not include sunshine. But those of us who have sold at garden shows such as this one recall that most of them are held Rain or Shine. (And you can guess how the weather affects revenues.)

Okay, that did it; I was determined to go if only to spend a few dollars to help out some of the vendors. Plus, I needed a gift for Mother on Sunday, Mother’s Day.

 

 

Frog Level?

 

Frog Level mural near the garden show, Waynesville NC

The mural in Frog Level.

 

Colonel Robert Love, a Revolutionary War soldier, founded Waynesville in 1810. He donated land for public buildings, and named the town after his commander during the war, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Today, the town is the largest in the state west of Asheville, with about 10,000 residents. It sits nestled between the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains, at about 2700′ elevation.

The low-lying area near Richland Creek was sometimes prone to flooding, thus the name, Frog Level. This section had some commercial enterprises in the 1800’s, and the town was incorporated in 1871. But, when the railroad came through in 1884, more development took place and opened access to the west.

KW Edible Landscaping Nursery at the garden show

KW Edible Landscaping Nursery.

As the town grew, businesses opened uphill from Frog Level. The area deteriorated several decades ago, until new shops and restaurants revitalized it. In 2003, the National Register of Historic Places recognized the Frog Level Historic District. This is a great spot for garden shows and street festivals, with lots of restaurants and independent shops to visit.

In 2018, Waynesville received a “Main Street America” designation by The National Main Street Center. The town is committed to “preservation-based economic development and community revitalization”. I hope to find one of these towns, maybe down the slope a bit, within the next few years to settle in.

On April 30, 2019, Riley Howell, a UNC Charlotte student, lost his life when he tackled the gunman who killed another student. This brave act detained the suspect, allowing time for the authorities to move in and capture him. Riley was from Waynesville.

 

the whole bloomin thing garden festival, a rainy day at the garden show

The Hickory Nut.

 

 

Back To the Garden Show

 

hummingbird feeders, moongirlglass at garden show

Moongirlglass hummingbird feeders.

About 75 vendors registered for the garden show, and there were surprisingly few vacant spaces. Kudos to those who braved torrential rainstorms! An umbrella wasn’t enough protection on a day like this, but I found a full-length plastic poncho in the back of the truck. Luckily, the temperatures were in the 60’s.

It rained non-stop. Everyone could hear the familiar sound of pop-up tent canopies being emptied of their catch. Some huddled under cover, enclosed by waterproof sides that kept them almost dry. Others openly defied inclement conditions, and contentedly waited for customers. That’s the spirit!

The Mother’s Day flowering baskets and big geraniums didn’t seem to mind. The music, though, was cancelled.

There were wood crafters, jewelers, artists, potters, and several plant places. I chatted with a woman selling a friend’s hummingbird feeders, glassware, and her plants.

The first booth I visited at the garden show, All Things Canvas, had really nice bags and hand-painted sunhats. Jan was also scheduled for the Hendersonville Garden Jubilee on Memorial Day weekend.

jeanette franich jewelry, the whole bloomin thing garden show

Jewelry at Janette Franich’s booth.

Janette Franich had very nicely crafted jewelry. I tend not to wear jewelry, but if I did, there were some tiny bird’s eggs in a silver nest hanging on a fine chain that might have tempted me.

KW Edible Landscaping Nursery, from Stokes County NC, sold trees and shrubs that could be incorporated into home landscapes. Not only ornamental, but also edible!

And, speaking of edibles, there were a few food trucks on site.

 

 

Can’t Leave Empty-Handed

 

I bought a hand-made pot from Milton Mugs. My mother liked the purple and blue colors and especially the attached saucer! 

The photograph at the top was the booth (vendor declined credit) where I bought a few plants, including ‘Vancouver Centennial’ stellar geranium, ‘Berggarten’ sage, and a Sempervivum (Hens and chicks) called ‘Oddity from Albidum’, with rolled leaves.

 

 

Hog Back Ridge Herb Farm, from Spring Creek NC, had lots of tomato varieties that I’d never heard of. A small cherry tomato called ‘Blueberry’ caught my eye. Although I don’t have any room for another tomato plant, I am determined to see this one fruit, even if that means another potted tomato on the deck. (***Update***: ‘Blueberry’ had rich, spicy tomato flavor. 2/2021)

The Hickory Nut (E. Main St., Chimney Rock NC) displayed metal garden art and plants, including herbs, perennials, and annuals. They had large beautiful basil plants—‘Genovese’ and the lettuce-leaf  ‘Valentino’ among them.

Because of the weather, many of the items the vendors had planned to bring with them had to be left at home or in their stores.

So, the next time a garden show visits your town, or the next town over, support your local economy and buy something there…especially if it’s raining.

 

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Southern Spring Home and Garden Show

Mar6

2019

 

It’s Time For the Home and Garden Show!

 

flower arrangement at the garden show

Arrangement by Kazuko Ikuta, Sogetsu school.

 

For two weekends in late February and early March, the annual Southern Spring Home and Garden Show, charlottespringhomeandgardenshow.com, comes to the Park Expo and Conference Center, in Charlotte NC. It arrives at that time of the year when many of us gardeners are itching to get out into the garden.

For years, my little horticultural company, Wellspring Gardens, set up at the Washington (D.C.) Home and Garden Show and then at the Maryland Home and Garden Show, in Timonium, Maryland. For several years I did both shows, and then decided to rent space at just the Maryland show.

There were many other local venues where I sold plants, such as Green Spring Gardens Park (Annandale, VA), Towson Gardens Day, Brookside Gardens Herb Fair, the Carroll County Farmers’ Market, the Leesburg VA Garden Festival, and the Garden Festival at Ladew in Monkton MD. These events were held rain or shine. So much fun…and so much work! Most of these occurred before the weekly farmers’ markets started up for the season.

 

 

cut tulips

 

 

Liberty Hall

 

A few hundred exhibitors set up throughout the show, either selling directly to customers or setting up consultations for home improvement. Since time was limited, I didn’t spend it in this section. But when there’s a house to fix up, this is the place to be. Here you can view products and speak with contractors.

 

 

King’s Greenhouse

 

King’s Greenhouse’s booth was located near the front entrance of the home and garden show, with the home improvement contractors. They had lots of plant material that could be planted outdoors now, including pansies and  Heuchera cultivars (coral bells) in various colors, shrubs, and indoor plants. Hardening off the plants first will prevent damage to their foliage.

Kingsgardencenter.com. Phone: (704) 821-7507.

And food vendors were located in a couple of places, so shoppers need never go hungry. I took home a hot dog for Mother (she’d been begging for one) and we shared a really good cheese pastry.

 

 

Freedom Hall

 

Landscape companies set up full-scale gardens in this section of the show, complete with large trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and flowers. There are waterfalls, ponds, pergolas, she-sheds, and a chicken coop! I like to visit this area first, before it becomes crowded. Belgard is one of this home and garden show’s sponsors, so their paving materials feature prominently in the landscape displays.

Here are some of the booths I visited:

 

 

Ikebana International, Charlotte, Chapter 49

 

At the entrance to this section was an exhibit with Ikebana flower arrangements designed by members of Chapter 49. Those who are interested in this ancient Japanese art of flower arranging may attend meetings, held on the first Thursday of September, October, November, February, April, and May. Meetings are open to the public and are free to attend. Marcia and I had a lovely conversation, some of it on the subject of flowers!

www.ikebana49.org.

 

 

 

 

All Natural Streams Landscaping, Billy Provett

 

waterfall at charlotte garden show, billy provett

 

Owner Billy Provett always does a fabulous job with his water gardens. The sound of splashing water, the lure of nighttime illumination, and a restful garden ambiance create a magical place…right in your own back yard!

This pondless waterfall cascades down a slope and into a basin filled with rocks. A pump recirculates the water, sending it back to the top of the stream. This is perfect for a family who would enjoy the sound of water but not the high maintenance of a fish pond. People’s Choice Award.

www.naturalstreams.com. Phone: (704) 577-4306.

 

 

Southern Showplace Landscapes, B. J. Fisher

 

A beautifully illuminated coral-bark maple, seen through the stems of a birch tree (photo, below), got everyone’s attention. So did this firepot, atop a large stone sculpture with water trickling down its sides. Environmental Award.

www.southernshowplace.com. Phone: (704) 699-0815.

 

 

 

 

Plant Man, Elton Liles

 

water feature, garden show

 

Another beautiful water garden, with a blooming camellia on the right. An important detail is using stone of similar color and varying sizes. Note that in the waterfall, flat horizontal stones make an effective fall. The void behind the cascade magnifies the rich tones of the water spilling into the pond. Best in Show Award.

www.plantmancharlotte.com. Phone: (704) 219-0160.

 

 

Southern Stonescapes, Daniel Flynn

 

old bench, garden show

 

 

Every landscape is improved by adding some hardscape, whether it’s a gazebo, a paved patio, a boulder outcroppping (with a pond?), or simply a large pot. Landscape the front yard for curb appeal, and personalize the private spaces.

I love this old lichen-encrusted bench. A great way to personalize your garden is to use items that might be gathering dust in the basement or the shed. Best of Outdoor Living Space Award.

 www.sstonescapesunlimited.com. Phone: (704) 309-9117.

 

 

Bushwackers Landscaping, Chad Little

 

garden show, stone fountain

 

Part of this display includes an assemblage of stones, plumbed up the center to create a gentle cascade of water spilling over the edge, into a pondless reservoir. Just what thirsty songbirds need in our hot summers!

www.bushwackerslandscaping.com. Phone: (704) 463-0174.

 

 

Old Hickory Buildings of Monroe, Tim Beane, Betty Beane, Amanda Beane

 

A few sheds were on display, one with a couple of chickens! In the back of the shed was a door that led to a covered outdoor run, where the chickens could enjoy some sunshine and pick in the grass whatever it is that chickens pick.

Another looked like the perfect get-away to finish that book, with a cup of coffee and the dog for company. Uh-huh: She-Shed! Or use it for a comfortable potting area, regardless of the weather outside.

ohbofmonroe.com. Phone: (704) 289-5147.

 

 

 

 

The Market Place in Independence Hall

 

I encourage you to visit and shop at these home and garden shows. I know how much work goes into setting up and preparing enough material to keep the booth well-stocked. This one ran for two 3-day weekends, and that requires a tremendous effort to produce inventory!

All kinds of products are available for purchase from the vendors. You can find a couple of companies selling plants, of course, and also artwork, antiques, clothing, housewares, birdhouses, goodies for the kitchen, pottery, wood products, tools, and furniture. Much of it is garden-themed, and some of it is not. And you can order sod and compost, a security system…or book a vacation to get away from it all.

There are fewer plant booths than we gardeners prefer, but that’s nothing new. That’s a perennial problem at home and garden shows such as this one. In February and early March, the weather is a gamble, especially in the colder region back in Maryland. But we had so many more “green” booths! There was the bonsai man, and a few herb vendors, several selling early flowering plants (pansies, ranunculus, forced spring-flowering bulbs, hellebores), perennials, houseplants, the African violet lady, the Plumeria person, and carnivorous plants. I hope this show’s organizers will try to bring in more plant vendors.

 

 

Guest Speakers

 

Just when I needed a break, the YouTube gardening video “sensation” Laura LeBoutillier (“Garden Answer”) and Proven Winners’ director of marketing Marshall Dirks conducted a lively talk to an engaged crowd. Ty Pennington (“Trading Spaces”), Julia Collin Davison (“America’s Test Kitchen” and “Cook’s Country”), and Matt Fox (HGTV’s “Room by Room”) also gave presentations this year.

Several other speakers conducted programs and DIY workshops with topics ranging from aquaponics to bees, cooking to curb appeal, dog training to cake decorating, and chalk paint to herb gardening, among others.

These are just a few of the many booths I visited in Independence Hall:

 

Juice Plus Tower Garden®, Cathy Melesh

Tower Garden RYou can harvest an impressive amount of produce from this ingenious hydroponic (soilless) system using a vertical growing “field”, where many pockets hold various plants.

A reservoir on the bottom (photo, right) pumps nutrient-rich water to the top of the tower, where the plants’ roots inside absorb what they need. LED lights supply illumination for herbs and greens (or houseplants) indoors.

Or, used outdoors without the lights, you can grow your own salad all summer long!

Bonus: Cathy’s sister, helping at the booth, was a customer at the garden center where I used to work. Small world!

cathymelesh.towergarden.com. Phone: (704) 560-0994.

 

The Card Gallery, Abby D. Morgan

 

pop-up card

 

There really are some of us who still write letters…yes, on paper. So, when I saw these laser-cut pop-up greeting cards, I had to take a few home with me. There wasn’t a pop-up children’s book that I could resist, when my kids were little, so…

http://alexnbo.com/thecardgallery.pdf. Phone: (919) 593-7270.

 

Oakdale Greenhouses, LLC

 

Oakdale greenhouse at garden show

 

A wide variety of plants—Serissa and juniper bonsai, hanging plants with roots enclosed in a ball of moss and twine (Kokedama), succulent gardens, air plants (large and small Tillandsia) in hanging glass globes and other bromeliads, Nepenthes, houseplants both unusual and common—it’s all here!

Every year I end up buying a few. This year I bought a succulent I’d never seen before. It grows in a rosette, like an Echeveria, and it has thick blue-gray leaves with small burgundy dots. And I bought a tiny Ficus pumila quercifolia, with variegated leaves. You’ll find inexpensive 2″ starter pots and larger dish gardens and terrariums.

https://oakdalegreenhouses.com. Phone: (704) 596-4052.

 

 

DirtWorks Pottery, Dan Triece, with Ben Vanpelt

potters wheelI love pottery. In front of me is a glazed blue coffee mug I bought almost 30 years ago, when my brother and I went to a craft show in New Paltz, New York. No, not from Dan. But this illustrates how these items become members of the family, integrated into our lives…mine anyway. There’s something about bringing home a piece of art that was handcrafted by a “real person” instead of by a machine.

Dan and I chatted while he fashioned tiny ceramic vases on the potter’s wheel. They will have to be glazed and fired, of course, but there were hundreds more ready to sell. I bought two of them, deep blue. As soon as I returned home, I filled the vases with a few violas plucked from the garden. Perfect! Mother and I can enjoy them while we’re working the jigsaw puzzle.

 

pottery at garden show

 

Also for sale were bowls of all colors and styles, platters, vases, bread dishes, artistically styled pitchers with curved handles, small teabag rests…just beautiful! Phone: (336) 873-8979, Seagrove NC.

https://www.facebook.com/Dirtworks-Pottery-429257577168804/

 

 

 

BBC Expressions, Billie Colley

 

If you like color, take a look at these uniquely painted table tops. Billie paints on plywood rounds, from 22″ to 28″ in diameter. And then they’re coated with a few layers of protective epoxy, a process that takes weeks for completion. But they’re not for outdoor living…treat them as works of art, which they are, and keep them indoors.

I was mesmerized— by the color combinations, by the sinuous swirls, by their simple-but-precise beauty! A cherry base is normally attached when a table is purchased, except when on display at shows.

Certainly this must be a skill that Billie has honed over the years. Born in Turkey and raised in Britain, all these influences must have contributed to her aesthetic. But, no! Although she really enjoys painting and designing mosaics, architecture is her trade, and this is a relatively new endeavor!

 

 

The top row photographs are close-up details of 3 tables. The center bottom photograph shows pendants employing the same technique. On the bottom right is the table top that first drew my attention. Gorgeous!

Billie at work, and explaining the technique to some customers.

Website for jewelry: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BBCExpressionsGifts. Phone: (704) 256-4000.

 

 

Come for a Visit

 

The next time a home and garden show comes to town, take advantage of the opportunity to talk with the vendors. It’s a great introduction to the projects you might want to get underway this year. The owners and personnel representing the companies are eager to help with your questions and to provide solutions to those nagging problems that never seem to get properly fixed.

And don’t forget to pick up that weird plant or the piece you fell in love with, for the finishing touch…because it might be gone tomorrow. Happy Spring!

 

 

yellow tulips, trees

 

 

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How I Got To The Farm In My Yard

Apr16

2018

The Farm In My Yard

 

Years ago, I had a conversation with a woman in the detergents aisle at the local grocery store. We were having a lovely chat about gardening, and, after some time, she suggested that I write a book. Who wouldn’t love to be published in the field of one’s toil and passion? She asked what the title would be, and I readily responded “The Farm In My Yard”.

I must confess that this was an idea that had been bouncing around in my head for a while, but with the demands of both work and family, there was no time to devote to the project.

 

flats of seedlings, The Farm In My Yard

Flats of plants, at sunrise, almost ready for the markets.

 

 

Working From Home

 

For most of my career as a self-employed horticulturist, all I had to do was to step outside the kitchen door and go right to work, growing thousands of plants (the “Farm”) on only a fifth of an acre of land (the “Yard”), tucked at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. That’s just the kind of commute I like!

The farmers’ markets and garden festivals (okay, I did have to drive there) where I sold potted herbs and vegetables, annuals, perennials, houseplants, and dish gardens required that the plants be grown by the seller. I couldn’t simply buy them wholesale and then resell them. Where’s the fun in that?

 

herb gardens and forced bulbs at the garden show

Herb gardens and forced spring-flowering bulbs were garden show favorites.

 

 

The Infrastructure

 

I set up a potting station in the garage. Flats of transplants went to benches of 2 x 4’s on cinder blocks or around the yard. Sun-lovers grew in the front yard, and shady perennials, such as Hosta, Tiarella, Helleborus, and various ferns, preferred the back yard.

Cuttings rooted and seeds germinated under a dozen or so 4′ fluorescent light fixtures in the basement, and more in the spare bedrooms, as needed. Add talk radio and a pot of coffee and I could work happily, undisturbed, for hours, around my children’s schedules.

In the busy late winter to spring months, I transplanted homegrown seedlings and plug trays (flats of 50-300 young plants purchased from wholesale suppliers) until daylight faded. And then I’d move the operation to the kitchen counter, where I could work for several more hours.

Over the decades, more of these markets began operating year-round instead of just seasonally. Full displays required constant plumping of inventory throughout the year. There was always something germinating, or rooting, or being potted up. Always an opportunity to play in the dirt, on the farm in my yard.

 

Wellspring Gardens' booth at garden show

Wellspring Gardens’ booth at the Maryland Home and Garden Show, Timonium, in late winter.

 

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