I really didn’t know what to expect at the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show.  Didn’t go last year, and now I needed to scout out some purveyors of cool and interesting plants. I shouldn’t have been surprised that every garden vignette on display was tragically predictable and traditional. A few nice plants, but all in all, MAJOR disappointment. I have a lot more bad to show you than good.
What did surprise me was that I was the only person in my line buying tickets that was under the age of 65. I’m sure there was another one behind me somewhere, but I hadn’t felt that youthful in quite awhile.  I’m going out on a limb and saying that Friday’s clientele had an AVERAGE age of 70…..and the smell of Ben-Gay in the air was palpable.
Here are a few lowlights of the floral gallery:
This is supposed to be the best Nashville has to offer? Some willow branches and wire?!
I honestly don’t get this. Is it supposed to be a scarecrow or what? Blech.
Seriously? It’s a branch in a bucket of tulips picked up at the grocery store. Scale?
On a positive note…there was a beautiful display of orchids….an especially nice selection of lady’s slippers…
and some gorgeous, yet pricey bonsai…
But what I really came for was the bamboo……
Met the owner of this bamboo farm north of here who has everything I will need for my new planting beds. Super nice guy, very knowledgeable…just who I was hoping to find at this show. When it gets a bit warmer, I’ll drive up to his farm and pick a few specimens for the house….he even grows the splendiforous Phyllostachys Nigra, or black bamboo. Bright green leaves with a dark blackish/purplish stalk. YES.