This is it. We’re done. With a half day Wednesday we’ve spent close to two full days constructing the garden. I think that it’s turned out mostly as I envisioned it.
There were a few bumps in the road. Several plants ordered to be delivered from Oregon were cancelled a week ago when temperatures turned dangerously cold. On Monday morning we discovered that daffodils being forced for the show were not going to make it. Fortunately, after a bit of scrambling we found an alternate source, and they’ve turned out to be perfect. So, all is well, and with hardly any panic.
After a winter that has dragged on far too long, it’s wonderful to see daffodils in bloom. I’ve been waiting for hellbores to come into flower in my garden, but while mine are buried under snow, these are flowering, with a few even slightly past their peak. On Thursday I’ll visit to be certain that everything’s set to go, but there’s nothing else to be done until the show opens on Friday morning. Then, the fun begins, and it appears that the weather will cooperate. Cold, but no snow, a perfect weekend to be at the garden show.
I’m hopeful that when I come out of the building on Monday morning the snow will be gone, and it will be sunny and warm. Probably not, but a weekend smelling the hyacinths will bring spring a bit closer.
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 
It looks great, talent and experience really shine through! Good luck at the show.
I received an email yesterday hoping that I would not be bringing pollen into the enclosed space of the expo center. I apologized that our garden is bringing in more pollen than all of the other gardens combined. I cannot do the boring concrete pavers and a few evergreens garden display, and who comes to see that?
You tell em!
As I understand it only wind pollinated plants (grasses and many trees and shrubs) cause allergies, most insect or bird pollinated plants (the colorful and fragrant ones) have heavy pollen that must be carried from bloom to bloom and doesn’t go airborne unless you stick your nose right in there and suck it in. Fragrance.. that’s another story.
This has been very interesting – I enjoyed seeing behind the scenes. Thanks for sharing! Love the flower shows and am so ready for being in the garden.
I’ve always enjoyed the process of designing within the limitations of a garden show. I don’t know that there are any more factors to consider than when designing an outdoor garden, but the challenges are different. It’s enjoyable to create an instant, mature garden on a slab of concrete where I hardly need to consider the ultimate sizes and spacing of plants.
It turned out great. Where is the garden show? Dulles Expo Center?
Ray
The show is at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly VA.