Friday, March 17, 2017

2017 Indiana Flower and Patio Show Favorites

The Indiana Flower and Patio Show is a sure sign that Spring is right around the corner. It's a nice escape from the cold and usually dreary March weather to explore the show gardens and features in a heated building at the state fairgrounds.

This year I got half price tickets online just by typing a bunch of different 4 letter words into the coupon code box, score!

Last time I went to the show it was during the closing weekend, this time I was there for opening day. I was a little disappointed - I thought everything would look super fresh for opening day, but I realized that most of the bulbs and things weren't quite open yet since they probably are intended to last all week.

I noticed a lot of repetition of the same plant varieties throughout the show, and it made me wonder if they had one landscape company come in and dress the feature areas all at once or something. Or maybe the similarities are just because those are the kinds of plants that look attractive this time of the year, or that were available from local wholesalers.

Overall, I was a little turned off by the prevalence of non-flower-and-patio-related vendors. I mean, I can understand the roofing companies and the hot tub companies because those are outdoor related, even the carpet companies and kitchen counter companies because those are at least home improvement related - but what gives with the blender company giving demos with a headset microphone, and the Xfinity high speed internet booth, ugh.

Anyway, I did see some cool things that stood out as highlights:

gas fire that looks like campfire
I just love this gas fire that looks like a campfire, with metal beams for kindling stacked in a loose teepee shape
modern farmhouse flower arrangements
This was a nice display sticking with mostly white flowers and lots of glossy foliage. I recognized star magnolia. 

garden show pathtall birch vase with pearl flower arrangement

conifer with yellow needle tips
Zack and I agree, we loved the detail on this unnamed sunburst spruce. We even asked the guy at the display and he had no idea what it was. Come on!

conifer with yellow needle tips

Miniature Weeping Pussy Willow (Salix caprea 'kilmarnock')
Flower detail for Kilmarnock Miniature Weeping Pussy Willow (Salix caprea 'kilmarnock'), saw several of these, it was a popular selection for the displays.

Miniature Weeping Pussy Willow (Salix caprea 'kilmarnock')

Taxus baccata 'Amersfoort'
This little guy would have been easy to overlook, but it was actually one of my favorite things I saw during the day. It's a taxus but it has round needles so it looks almost like a boxwood. Neat! Label said Taxus baccata 'Amersfoort'. 

green japanese maple and hot tub

Deschampsia Goldtau
Deschampsia Goldtau

cloud form pine at garden show
Some kind of cloud form pine, also missing a plant label (frowny face). 

Chirimen Hinoki Cypress
Very interesting Chirimen Hinoki Cypress

bjd plant
Not sure what this is, it was just labeled 'BJD' - any help? It almost looks like a rhododendron ground cover.

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