San Francisco Garden Show Highlights – 2016

My aunt and I attended the San Francisco Garden Show last week, and I’m still thinking about the new ideas. I compiled a list of garden designers during the show (my husband and I want to partner with a professional on a renovation plan that retains some of the bones of our garden, but becomes more climate friendly).

Abraxas Crow garden ornaments

Now I’m thinking about some of the details we saw, like these wonderful iron birds from Abraxas Crow, out of Port Townsend, Washington. I’m especially partial to the crows and ravens, but any of these would bring artful whimsy into the garden. I also love some of the hardscaping we saw in the water gardens.

Water basin with ladle

Koi inscription

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Bonsai tree

My aunt I love to see the beautiful bonsai trees showcased by the Bonsai Society San Francisco. Many of the trees have been in training for decades. I’m always torn to see a mighty tree reduced to its miniature version, but they are so beautiful!

Bladderpod - California native	Dahlia's in every color and shape
Thin vase for dramatic appeal	Succulents in coral pink

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The Garden Show is a great place to shop. Many native and hard-to-find plants are available, and many at great prices. Gold Rush Nursery is becoming one of my favorite vendors (but Sunset, and others had wonderful displays of California natives available for sale). We also saw lots of vegetable starters, Dahlias, succulents, accessories and more.

Strike green gold at Gold Rush Nursery

This is the place to purchase Japanese maples, palms, and olive trees as well, or drool over the displays, and purchase at the nurseries.

Japanese maple from Essence of the Tree

It will probably take most of the year to research all the plants, products, and garden design ideas we saw at the show. But I think that is the point – to discover new ideas, and put them to good use!

San Francisco Garden Show 2016

DISCOVERY is the theme of this year’s garden show, which wraps up its five-day run today. What kind of discovery? Discovering how to garden in our climate; discovering new and improved plants; discovering innovative ideas; discovering creative new garden designs. My aunt and I have been attending the show for over 16 years at various locations (now at the San Mateo Convention Center). Each year we look forward to spending time together, and overloading on great ideas.

Replacing your lawn was a big theme this year. The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (Bay Area District) provided information on “Lawn Long Ago – A New Approach to the California Garden” with lots of lawn-free or lawn-improved ideas, and a selected plant list.

Lawn Long Ago (APLD, Bay Area District) - lawn replacement ideas.

Johanna Silver, Senior Garden Editor of Sunset Magazine (now located in Oakland) presented “The New Front Yard.” She advised using layers of thin cardboard, compost, and mulch to kill your lawn (don’t solarize with black visqueen, or you kill the microorganisms in the soil.) She showed slides of beautiful landscapes using lawn alternatives such as pea gravel, flagstone pavers, ornamental grasses, succulents, native plants, and bark. If you really must have some lawn, she recommended Elfin Thyme (Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’) or German Chamomile (Matricicaria chamomile); synthetic grass; or one of the drought-tolerant fescues, such as Native Bentgrass™ or Native Mow Free™ (Delta Bluegrass Company).

Urban Oasis (Treeline Designz) - fabulous use of succulents in raised beds.

Succulents were everywhere at the show. They store water in their fleshy leaves and stems, and come in an endless array of shapes, sizes, and colors. Urban Oasis showcased succulents in their garden design; and speaker Debra Lee Baldwin, garden photojournalist and author, showed slides of beautiful succulent gardens in her presentation, “Smart & Lovely Succulent Landscapes.”

Hidden Messages in Water (The Waterfall Guy) - lovely water elements.

I was glad to see water elements in several garden designs—fountains, waterfalls, and pools—all using recirculating pumps. The sound of water is very soothing, and its presence attracts birds, insects, and wildlife (important in drought).

Modern Ancient (Jake Moss Design) - Gold Medal Winner and someone to watch!

Backyard Bohemian (McKenna Landscape) - great place to relax with friends, or curl up with a book.

Most of the garden designs featured outdoor living – spending time out in the landscape and garden. The idea of outdoor rooms for dining, lounging, and playing is very appealing.

The Garden at Villa Bella Corte (Outdoor Environments) - this bocce ball court takes care of the lawn problem.

Living in Harmony with our Mother Earth (Clearwater Design) - loved the spacious Ti Pi.

My aunt and I did some DISCOVERY shopping as well. This year I found Jelly Bean white monkey flower (Mimulus 'Jelly Bean White') at Gold Rush Nursery, and purchased a scarf designed by Kavita Singh (this time in vibrant spring green, purple, and rust silk). We both purchased silicone stretch lids from S.C. Chang, Inc. to replace our petroleum-based plastic wrap, and then hunted down exquisite DeBrito chocolates, and toffees from Terri Sue’s Toffee. Fortified with our goodies, we escaped the gigantic mechanical Praying Mantis on the way out, and drove back to the East Bay!

The mechanical Praying Mantis caused a stir for kids and adults as it reared up from its garden display!

Indoor Hanging Garden

Several years ago, my husband and I vacationed in Zion and Bryce National Parks in beautiful Southern Utah. We love to travel in fall, and visited in late October when deciduous trees were either bare, or sporting red and gold leaves; and only a few fall flowers were in bloom. It is difficult to beat the golden fall light, the warm days and crisp nights, and the stars.

I was especially struck with the beautiful Weeping Rock in Zion National Park. I loved how the water seeped over the rock face and dripped off overhangs; and how moss, algae, and aquatic plants clung to rocks, and were bathed in the water. At the time, I thought what a great idea it would be to emulate this hanging garden in a home or public garden (see: Hanging Gardens).

Hanging garden at a restaurant in Bend, Oregon

Last summer I saw a hanging garden in a restaurant in Bend, Oregon, that could have been inspired by Weeping Rock. Smaller scale, of course, but it captured some of the elements of the Zion National Park. I love this idea of bringing a bit of nature in doors!