This year it was the Meditation Garden: unique and exotic but not ostentatious. This garden wasn't a traditional in-ground or Zen garden; it featured a series of containers lining a winding path of tree trunk steps, leading to a golden statue of Buddha cradling an echeveria.
It was like all of my guilty horticultural pleasures at their most peaceful and beautiful.
Why can't calla lilies grow with tulips all the time?
Bolting kale, tropical trees, enormous containers bursting with color: all the things I never grow or can't do well but love anyway!
Obviously Midwestern natives are the heart and soul of my garden. They are the plants that belong here and they're the key to my gardening fulfillment here in the Midwest. But this was a different type of plant love. Tender perennials, succulents and annuals exploding out of huge urns! If only I could replicate this type of beauty in some alternate universe where the temperatures, maintenance and watering requirements didn't apply!
The only drawback? You couldn't walk through this garden! This bamboo stick kept me (and everyone else) from wandering down the path which, I must admit, maintained the peaceful aura.
I could only look from the outside in and dream of what it might be like to stand amongst those containers, those plants...just like in regular garden life!
The Chicago Flower & Garden Show is going on now through March 13th at Navy Pier. I'll have more posts on other aspects of the show coming soon!
4 comments:
Buddha with the echeveria was my favorite in the meditation garden. I know what you mean about all those beautiful, exotic tender plants Rose!
We do seem to need to suspend disbelief about what's possible and realistic in a Chicago-area garden at the CFGS. The first day I attended, that idea kind of annoyed me (yet again!) The second day, I decided to just go with it, and enjoyed the colorful, sensual beauty of all those exotic plants and unreal container arrangements.
In real life, I'm with you on the natives!
The meditation garden was my favorite, too, along with the horticultural competition plants. We probably walked right by each other at some point without realizing it - I was there most of the weekend! Looking forward to more of your pics.
I was at the show Sunday, Rose, and completely missed this exhibit! Actually, looking at the containers, I think I may have walked right past it. I love Zen gardens,too, and have always wished I could have a Japanese garden here, but somehow it just doesn't seem to fit next to a cornfield:) Thanks for sharing these photos; I agree, though, it would have been nice to walk down the path.
Containers are impressive these days! They are packed with all manner of flowers and bulbs, grasses and succulents! I love bolting kale~the little yellow flowers look marvelous with tulips. I assume the snow turns it to mus in your garden? Thanks Rose for a great tour! gail
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