Our local garden show and the Whomping Willow

It's garden show season around the country and our local garden show, Plantasia, was last weekend. The centerpiece was this huge willow tree. Again this year, there were more hardscape landscapers there than actual purveyors of plants. I think this is because the plant sellers just don't have the bucks to do over-the-top displays, as do the landscaping companies that install patios, fountains, walkways, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and fireplaces. It's hard to compete with them.

I did like the columns holding up this pergola roof. They had gas-lamp-looking lights designed into them.

Another thing I liked was the cut-out in this immense counter top (upper photo). It's intended for either plants, or use as an ice-bucket. Here's my poor-man's-version from my own backyard I built last summer (lower photo).

There were lots of fireplaces -- fireplaces with fountains, fireplaces with pizza ovens, fireplaces with TVs...

 And fountains. Fountains set to music (upper photo), with colored lights (second photo), and fountains to walk through. The one I liked best was a quiet fountain -- a sculpture of a plant (bottom photo, it's kinda' hard to make out in this photo). Elizabeth (Gardening While Intoxicated) inquired about the fountain. Turns out the artist only makes them during the winters and will take orders now for delivery next spring. We gardeners are patient, but we do also expect immediate gratification for some things.

I don't want one sitting in my back yard -- but someone, somewhere must.

I also liked these wine bottle lights -- I can make that a weekend craft project with my daughter. I wonder if my mom still has that glass-cutting kit we used to make stuff for the rec room in the '70s.

I'm pretty sure she's still got some beer-tab chain curtains around someplace...