Sunday, March 17, 2013

Indiana Flower Show

    We just returned from the Indiana Flower & Patio Show.  Today was the last day of the show so I wasn't sure I was going to get to see it this year.  I was a little disappointed in the displays.  As far as I'm concerned there were too many elaborate brick & stone patios with firepits and outdoor grills and not nearly enough flowers.  I like to come away with some ideas of things I would like to try in my gardens--or at least things I loved, but I didn't see anything I particularly cared about this year.
     I found the urban homestead display interesting.  It included an Eco_cottage, rain barrels, wood burning boiler, chicken coops with live chickens, raised bed gardens, etc. as an example of adopting and living a sustainable lifestyle on a 10,000 square foot "city lot."
     We also managed to feast our winter eyes on some beautiful spring flowers--but as I said before--not nearly as many as we would have liked.  I'm including a few pictures to get you excited about spring, too.





       One of the photos is of two of the 25-30 foot river birches that had been brought in for a display garden.  The leafed out and blooming trees included by many landscapers in their projects were also amazing!  How do they get them to bloom at the perfect time, and then how do they transport them in cold weather without shocking them into dropping their blooms?  I suppose they cover them with canvas and make certain they aren't in the cold any longer than is needed.  It still must be a lot of work to get them there!
     The expense and effort put into this show is staggering!  Everything you see in the pictures including the brick walls, huge boulders, waterfall and stream (there were several others including some ponds), paved walkways and the pavilion was brought in--or constructed for the 10 day show and will be removed after today.  What a wonderful effort to give us a little taste of spring!

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