It's Showtime Folks! A sneak peak at The Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

Tons of Rock has been brought in.  Thank you Marenakos Rock Center!

The trucks have been unloaded.


They're putting on the finishing touches






The excitement is palpable as the guided press preview draws to a close and the loudspeaker continues to announce how many minutes are left until the garden floor must be cleared.

Soil, moss, sawdust, and water are swept from the floor while designers and their teams get a bit nervous, some having not slept in days.

Once the floor is cleared, it's eerily quiet as the judges arrive.

Thankfully, the floral judging takes place a couple hours later.  Some people are finished and have gone while a lot more are still agonizing.
Once the judging takes place, a few changes might be made before the gala opening night party on Tuesday evening.  I bet there will be a lot of sleeping happening tonight!

Here's a peek, in no particular order or detail, at some of the gardens.  More on these glorious  creations in a later post.   The theme this year is "America the Beautiful" celebrating America's national parks and landmarks.

"A Nation Remembers" by Flower Growers of Puget Sound.

NWFGS Theme Garden.  "A tribute to hole 12 at Augusta" which pays homage to "Amen Corner," the signature hole at August National Golf Club.



"The Hoh: America's Rain Forest" Washington Park Arboretum.  There's actually rain dripping from overhead in this garden.




"Southwest Serenity" by West Seattle Nursery and inspired by the many National Parks in the Southwest.



From "The Tiny Tetons" by Nature Perfect Landscape and Design.  See a front view of this breathtaking garden above.

Elanden Gardens once again creates, in it's on inimitable style, a spectacular garden.  "Capturing High Dessert Beauty - Oregon's Smith Rock."

Fancy Fronds Nursery has come up with "New York, New York: Cat Pads! On Broadway."
"America's symbols aren't limited to towering peaks, grand parks or famous structures.  In this garden, the garden creator's imagination has been inspired by the iconic, long-running Broadway show, 'Cats." (Music by that famous American, um,  Andrew Lloyd Weber and based on the book Old Possum's book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot who emigrated to England at the age of 25.  The show opened in London. But I digress.)  The garden is lots of fun and is a paradise for our feline friends!

Two designers, two gardens, one theme.  "From Sea to Shining Sea" On the Right is Coupleville Washington with  "Painted Lady" Victorian Blue Goose Inn Bed & Breakfast and casual gardens by Fancy Plants Gardens while on the right is Nantucket, Massachusetts creating a delightful counterpoint to Coupeville, Washington.  Both towns share strong ties to the sea.  There are many fabulous details of both gardens that you'll want to explore and compare

including this lilac forced into bloom in February.  The fragrance is divine and transports one to a warmer time of year.

I think this is "Essence of Yellowstone" by choice Landscapes.  This beautiful blue pond has live trout in it.  They were a little frightened by all of the noise going on but some of us got a glimpse.



There are beautifully done mosaic pieces here as well including an outdoor shower beneath the tentacle of an octopus.  (An octopus' garden.)



"Discovering Alaska" by Adam Gorski Landscapes.  These are all plants that will grow in tundra. Alaska is also know for it's ceramic fish swimming upstream to spawn.

"Park it in Your Own backyard" by Dakara Landscape Design paying homage to our very own Mount Rainier National Park.


Now all that's missing is YOU!  The show runs from February 17 - 21.  Hope to see you there! Check out the show blog here for year-round information.