4 Hot Design Tips from Portland Yard, Garden & Patio Show, Pt.I

Design Lessons from Portland’s Yard, Garden & Patio Show

It ’s ironic . Just as I was allow my parch town of Santa Barbara ( less than an inch of rain since summer ) for a round of talking at thePortland Yard , Garden and Patio Show , a series of much call for storms was belt along to the delivery . I ’d escape them , but I knew there ’d be plenty of puddles to splosh in when I catch where I was going . So I hop a plane and few hours later I raised my aspect to the welkin and expect for my looking glass to fog up .

If you ’re eager to improve your designing chops , there ’s no better stead to go than a garden show , particularly one in your own region . That ’s where you ’ll find gifted designers and builder displaying a wide range of garden expressive style you’re able to learn from , and then utilise as breathing in in your own chiliad . Even though I ’ve been contrive for as long as I can remember , I continue to peck up ideas each prison term I hang .

I was especially eager for the YG&P show , since this was the first time I was ask to judge . Though it is n’t the biggest show in the state , the quality of the garden was top notch . Honored to be teamed with fellow judges Lorene Edwards Forkner ( editor ofPacific Horticulture Magazine ) and Nita - Jo Rountree ( Seattle - free-base designer and pedagogue ) I find the experience inspiring , educational and reaffirming .

Here are four key garden dominion that stick in my mental capacity . ( Note : My good Nikon photographic camera decided to make my life miserable , so please excuse the “ fuzziness ” of my iPhone images . )

Rule #1: Every Garden Needs a Focal Point

The high spot ofAutumn Leaf Landscaping , LLC ’s garden – aptly style “ Abstract Reflections ” – was the water supply feature plan by Matt Hammack . It stopped me in my track . Although there were many subtle and engaging element in this garden , it was clear that the urine feature was the conversation - starting focal point . It was placed opposite the central axis of a beckoning , high - ceiling , glass walled ride elbow room , visually framed by generous bivalent doors . Three full-bosomed , rusted metallic element panels were the star of the show , reinforced by flames reflected in a black - bottom pool . Matt chose simple , perpendicular plant life as back , rather than primary elements .

You ca n’t go wrong with weewee as the gist of care . This utterly proportioned cascade and puddle – built by operations and production manager Tony Prunty ofAll Oregon Landscaping – draw visitors in from the Oregon Convention Center ’s floor . What I treasure most was the disingenuous , almost unconscious arrangement of Stone , mimicking nature , yet surmount appropriately for the space .

Rule #2: Lead the Eye

There ’s no undecomposed visual magnet to offend someone ’s wonder than peeping through a keyhole . Treeline Designz’screative star , Iftikhar ( Ifti ) Ahmed , used a circular chassis to ask over show attendees into a garden dominated by square and rectangular grade . Use of this Eastern - influenced element set up an first moment of something exotic within ; an prospect that was artistically carry out .

I do n’t require to short - betray the gardenDennis ’ 7 Dees Landscaping and Garden Centerscreated by hollo it “ the oldest joke in the book . ” But it ’s easy to see why a route that enigmatically disappear around a box could be the plan trick used to lure Adam and Eve into Garden of Eden . In this case , the locating of a beckoning object ( chair and a glimpse of the open fireplace ) , pulls you through the garden . surplus fillip points for the bright lucky coniferous tree as a homing lighthouse .

I ’ve got more idea I picked up at the show to share . record Part II

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