Statuary urn surrounded by azaleas...
Bella Italia! Share your PHILLY FLOWER SHOW photos!
I never really realized what a perfect "foil" Black Mondo Grass could be to brighter plants...
A few clumps of daffs around a bend...
I've got a clump of 'February Gold'... seeing these, now I "need" 'February Silver' also!
Daffs and a miniature rhodi... a classic combo
Less classic, perhaps -- but maybe a common sight in Italy?
Mini daffs and Basil!
Another new-to-me daff that I now "need"... N. 'Sheleg', such a delicate look with its nearly nonexistent cup
There was a very strange tribute to Atlantis going on here...
I believe this was supposed to be a Hippogriff, and there was a bizarre figure of Neptune just behind him.
Critter...so beautiful, but ahhhhhhh those ROSES!!!!
around the back side of Atlantis was a niche with a representation of a Nommo, an African mythological creature...
I'd have had no idea what it was if they hadn't explained it... actually, I still have really no idea, LOL.
Sharon, I'll see if I can turn up another rose photo or two later on... ;-)
We didn't really linger over Atlantis... but we enjoyed these ferns!
(Terri, was this a Lady Fern?)
Found some roses! This arrangement anchored one corner of an exhibit and must have been easily 5 feet across.
Here's the rest of that exhibit. Shades of orange and olive green, a little too elegant (and too orange! LOL) for my tastes, but striking.
You know I am sitting here drooling, don't you...and not just over the roses. That is truly a beautiful show.
Another formal look, supposedly Venetian...
Cranesbill Geranium, Inqwessen's Variety according to its tag...
Native Azalea
(Yes, we've switched back to informal flowers... this gives you the feel of how we flitted from one display to another!)
Fascinating red-flowered Witch Hazel. Couldn't tell if it was scented or not...
Carolina Allspice bloom...
"Lily of the Valley lines my garden walk..."
Venice! complete with gondola, river, bridge, and gorgeous railing planters up front, just crammed with roses and other lovelies.
Another look, with apologies for the blurred image...
Another exuberant display, crowned with forsythia. Look for the heads of the people below to get an idea of the size of this urn... !!
A closer look at the amaryllis and hydrangea blooms in that display...
Bougainvillia (sp) "trees" along a wall...
a closer look at the bright blooms...
We were glad we'd learned about all the eateries across the way in Reading Terminal.
Since we were in Philly, we decided a Philly Cheesesteak was a "must have." This place looked promising...
The line moved slowly, but it was fun chatting -- and fun to watch the sandwich making process! We both opted for the works -- mushrooms, onions, hot & sweet peppers, and provelone cheese. We were offered a choice of condiments, so I asked what should one put on a Philly cheesesteak? With a slight twist of her mouth indicating her opinion of those who would bury its taste in mustard, the cashier muttered "nothing... nothing at all" so we ate ours as they came off the grill.
Outstanding!
After our lunch break, we spend some time in the vendor hall, then went back to continue ogling the exhibits.
But those photos will have to wait for another upload session... Who is next with some pictures to share?
:-)
Jill, thank you for the tour - what a great way to start my morning! I'm curious, do you have any other pictures of the Hypertufa arrangements - specifically one of the combo next to the "blue ribbon winner" in third photo? I'm intrigued by the choice of plants in that one, looks like they're a group of succulents?
Jill, great job with the pictures. It was a great day, and seeing the pictures makes me feel like I am there all over again. There were many things that amazed me, but having full size mature trees in the displays was beyond description. One of my favorites was a flowering crabapple that was at least 20' tall or more and in full bloom - hopefully one of us got a shot of that one. I think it was labeled 'Profusion'
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/159373/
I also really liked a display that featured an armillary with a circle of pavers with tulips and lambs ears around it in a fairly informal setting - this was one idea that I can just see adapted somewhere in my landscape. I'll search thru my pictures this evening for posting. Also, definitely on my list is a new camera (mine is one of the first digitals that came out - old media format and cumbersome)!!! Terri
Terri, I think both of those might be among my "after lunch" shots.
Let me check the rock garden photos...
No photo of that one, sorry. There were a number of entries with succulents, however... that one looks like it had Sanseverias (spelled wrong... you know, "snake plant" and siblings). Here's another blue ribbon winner planted with a single type of plant:
Oh thanks Jill, those rock gardens have given me some great ideas. I have tired of potted flowers on the patio and think I will use some rock garden ideas this year for a change.
I think we need to have a hypertuffa play date... talked about it before, but last summer I was running up & back to Pittsburgh every other week and couldn't pull it off. I've got some nice plastic rectangular basins from the $ store that I think will work really well. :-)
Not a lot of time this morning, but I'll upload a few over coffee...
These wall sculptures (in the vendor area) were really neat... made from twisted wire, in copper or a silvery color. Every tree had a different shape -- some windswept, some recognizably as to species (like a weeping willow)...
That first woodland scene with a "lake" was a depiction of Romulus and Remus did you notice the babies at the edge of the lake and the wolfs under the trees? What did you think of the Prince of Orange? Ric says mine is nicer and I think he is right. Nothing to compare to the Moonlight though. This volunteer manning the Holland Bulb booth told us she gets a new hat made every year.
Here's a closeup that gives you an idea of how this was done... also, info on the artist...
Holly! You made it there yesterday after all?? Great! :-)
I didn't look closely enough to see Romulus and Remus... actually, I'm not sure we took time to study much of anything closely, as we were just overwhelmed with the volume of stuff there!
This booth had a bunch of nifty things, including an assortment of Tillsandria (sp) in bins. I picked out 3, then was told I needed to spend $3 more to make the minimum for using a CC... so I went home with 5! They're new to me, but I think I'll have fun with them. I've got a big driftwood piece I've been wanting to use for something like this... :-)
Here's something else we fell in love with but couldn't manage, budget wise... Gorgeous hand-forged hangers on these beautiful ceramic pots... not overpriced for what went into making them, just well you know. :-)
Maybe another time... :-)
BTW Ric took all our pics.
Here is an idea for those of you with rain barrels these pretty and pricey ones were on display thought it might give some of you an idea to make your plainer ones a bit more attractive.
Yes! We were talking about those too... also giggling a bit because the display of "these are all native" plants behind included 'Thompson's Seedless Green' grape and some tomatoes...
Orchids for Becky...
