The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show

From In the Garden

The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show is going on at the Nashville State Fairgrounds off I65 in Nashville. The last day will be Sunday, so hurry if you wish to see some really super fun gardens, buy some great plants, books and what nots for your gardens and spend the day in gardening world.

I had the pleasure of attending with my good friend Vonna yesterday. Geri was unavailable and I missed her so much I kept calling Vonna by Geri's name. Good thing Vonna is such a good sport. I must be getting old or I'm truly a creature of habit and was too used to Geri going to the show with me.

Vonna loves to plant shop and was great fun! I can see us doing this show annually. She is truly a plant addict and purchased a bunch of African violets, some geraniums, and many herbs. She also purchased a few hellebores, as her garden is lacking this wonderful plant. Each time she sees my hellebores she longs for them, so we were quite happy to find some at the show today. She purchased a red hellebore and is such a sweetheart she bought the one pictured above for me-against my wishes I might add. You just can't say no to her though. She knew how much I wanted a 'freckled' hellebore. I also picked up a couple of double hellebores to go along with the one above.
The theme for this year's gardens was something like "Flavor of Gardening". I really didn't spend too much time on the gardens, but did get a snapshot of this child friendly garden. The 'engineer' was present and in costume. He enjoyed participating in this garden show. All gardens had to incorporate some kind of plant that could be used for culinary purposes. His garden had rosemary and a few other herbs tucked into the planting. The 'engineer' himself really had no idea what the plants were; which cracked me up. I think he was there to run the village and train only.

One of the most popular booths at the show has always been The Rustic Greenhouse booth. They are from Sewanee, Tennessee and can be reached at: (931) 598-9059. Linda, the owner, is very knowledgeable and I have purchased numerous plants from her over the years. Her plants are always top quality and good performers. This year I picked up some foam flowers for my new 'Secret Patio' garden. Does anyone recognize this cultivar pictured above? It was simply labeled 'foam flowers' so I did not get the cultivar name.

I also picked up a 'Hummelo' lambs ear, Selaginella (Spike moss), Rocky Mountain Penstemon, and a Rose Foxglove from her. Selaginella is usually a big seller at this show. It looks like a moss, but is classified as a 'fern ally'. According to Wikipedia, fern allies are not flowering plants, but also not ferns. They are similar to ferns in that they multiply by shedding spores. They prefer to grow in the same conditions as ferns and mosses. It is a unique plant that looks like a cross between a fern and moss, and one I've not had luck with in the past. Here's hoping to success this time around.
I was absolutely thrilled to find a 'Rainbow' Leucothoe catesbaei (fontanesiana). This shrub is evergreen and is in the Ericaceae family. As such it requires the same growing conditions as rhododendrons, pieris, azaleas and camellias. That is: an acidic, well drained, moist soil in a partly shaded area. The shrub is loaded with buds, which I believe will turn into lily of the valley type flowers, very similar to pieris flowers. My 'Rainbow' is joining the hellebores and foamflowers, foxglove, and penstemon in my 'Secret Patio' garden.

Additionally, a sweet surprise from a vendor at the show came my way. Geri and I each purchased a tree peony at last year's Lawn and Garden Show. My lovely yellow tree peony died. I stopped at the same booth and was looking at them this year when the manager came to talk with me. Surely he was looking to sell me another tree peony. I told him the one I purchased there last year died, so I did not think buying another would be a good idea. He quickly took one off the shelf and gave me a replacement tree peony! Gee, I sure hope I don't kill this one as well. And I might add that this year's tree peonies are a tad more expensive than last year. The vendor earned my loyalty and respect for going the extra step simply because he wanted to.

When we arrived back to northwest middle Tennessee, Vonna and I both downloaded our new acquisitions and I was able to plant almost all of the new plants. Additionally, I checked on my plants under the house. Several were ready to come out and go into a hardening off area in the garden. These included: gerbera daisies, brugmansias, and an agapanthus. All showed new growth even under the house! To say yesterday was a most wonderful day in the garden, would be an understatement. Let the gardening season begin!

One more thing, if you intend to visit the Nashville Lawn and Garden show, you can visit their website and print off a $1.oo coupon. The entry fee is $10. Every little bit helps. There are also lectures at this show, a flower arranging/design contest, many societies are on hand to give away freebies and to answer questions, and much much more than just what I have posted about here. Check out their website for more information. Enjoy and here's to happy gardening!

in the garden....