Garden season

Sunset, April, 2005 by Katie Tamony

Just before spring really arrived, I spent three days at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, which happens every February in Seattle. The theme this year was "Greetings from Spring," and stepping into the show felt like working backstage at nature's performance of the seasons. Waiting for winter to take its bow, I was surrounded by flowers and lush greenery alive with opening-night energy.

My favorite thing to do is eavesdrop on showgoers as they admire the garden exhibits. "That tree would be perfect in my yard ... Did you see what they did with the jasmine over there? I've never seen that before ... Love the chartreuse and the purple palette." I walked around each garden exhibit, jotting down names of plants that intrigued me, combinations that seemed fresh, comments people made. I left wanting to rip out my own backyard and start over.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

When reality set in, I decided to start with just the front porch. A project that's easy to tackle in a weekend is a container planting. If you're motivated to try one, you'll find clever tips and new designs in our "Living Color" story (page 162). Clearly, orange is hot right now, and you'll see it used in interesting ways in these container plans. Feeling a bit more ambitious about spring rejuvenation in the garden? Check out our guide to designing the perfect border on page 71.

Finally, on the last page of Sunset, Peter Fish's Western Wanderings has a new look and a new theme. Over the next 12 months, he's going to be writing about trends in the West--one state at a time. Last month he explored the spa scene in Scottsdale, Arizona. This month he travels to Central California's Santa Ynez Valley to follow the path of the intrepid wine tasters from the hit film Sideways. (Well, somebody had to do it.) As the many fans of his column know, Peter has a keen ear for capturing the quirky wonders of living in the West. If you have any thoughts about trends Peter should cover, send him an email at travel@sunset.com.