Phipps Spring Flower Show 2013- Secret Garden

Entrance into the Serpentine Garden

I feel ashamed how long it has been since I last posted a new blog entry but that is what happens when you are finishing up the last semester of a doctoral program. So this post is a little late since the the Spring Flower Show finished over a month ago and the Summer Flower Show is now in full bloom.

Garden gate in the Palm Court

Broderie Room

The theme for the 2013 Phipps Spring Flower Show was the Secret Garden, based on the beloved book. I admit I haven't read the book but I have seen the movie and have always wanted to have my own secret garden someday. I want my own small space of organized chaos full of flowers, trees and garden art to have in my future home.

Water spicket in the edible garden

Topiaries and winding path

Overall the spring flower show was a nice relaxing stroll for the afternoon, giving me a small sense of escape from my busy schedule. The flowers were pretty typical of the spring flower shows in the past with the regular display of tulips. But it is hard to feel disappointed when seeing an array of such cheery flowers.

Orange tulips, one of my favorites

Red tulips

I love the orange flowers with the ivy against the brick wall

goddess sculpture

Hopefully you enjoyed these photos, sorry it wasn't very informative but I will have more up soon!

Tulips Around Town

Outside of the UCP in Oakland

This spring tulips have been the major trend when it comes to designing a front yard. Walking and driving through the city I noticed tulips everywhere; in front of large houses, apartment complexes and churches. Whenever I would go by a particularly well kept lawn or interesting display of tulips I just had to snap a picture. Some used a variety of tulip colors while others made striking displays with just one type of tulip. Since I didn't want to look like a creeper, I didn't spend more than a minute in front of any house nor are there many close ups since I didn't want to step on anyone's property. Here are pictures of some of my favorite front yards around Shadyside, Oakland and Squirrel Hill.

 The pictures above and below are from the outside of an apartment complex in Oakland.

Front yard of a house in Shadyside. They had  tulips in a horseshoe around the lawn.

This display used only white tulips which I think looked very classy in front of this gorgeous Shadyside house.

I love how this home in Shadyside surrounded their sculpture with bright tulips.

The front entrance of a grand house in Squirell Hill. I really like how they lined the hedges with tulips.

The right side was a mixture of bright colored tulips.

More feathery tulips in soft colors were along the left hedge,

This blue ranch style house in Squirrel Hill displayed lots of color in their spring flowered lawn.

Close up of all the gorgeous tulips and pansies.

This house in Squirrel Hill had a fountain in the center of their display.

Red, white and yellow tulips lined the entire lawn and look great under the blossoming cherry tree.

Just a small row of tulips add a punch of color outside of the Newman Center in Oakland.

What favorite lawn displays have you noticed in the city?

Spring Around The World: Phipps Flower Show 2012

Last week I visited the Spring Flower Show at Phipps Conservatory where the theme was a Trip around the World. Each room depicted a different country showcasing spring flowers and  highlighting some unique pieces of each culture.

Flags were displayed in the Palm Court when you first walked in showing some of the countries included in the flower show.

 A huge Dutch tulip display with a moving windmill was one of my favorite rooms due to the variety of tulips and other flowers included. Of course my favorites were the orange tulips which I took many pictures of, one of which you can see below.

 

Dutch Display

Pretty Pink Tulips

Triumph Tulip in orange. Tulipa. 'Anne Schilder'

 A close second favorite was the Great Britain display.It was set up in the Sunken Garden ans included a British red phone booth filled with white flowers and the Union Jack depicted by red, white and blue blooms.

Red phone booth filled with white snapdragons and surrounded by tulips.

I like the contrast of the white delicate tulips against the red frame of the booth.

One half of the Union Jack created by the flowers in the sunken garden. 

France was also represented during the Spring Flower Show. Of course the display was in none other than the Broderie Room which is the wedding or love room at Phipps Conservatory.

The Broderie Room was filled with pink, white and green flowers.

Little touches like this bike were placed around the room to feel like you were outside in Paris.

Official wishing well.

Variety of plants and flowers filled the bed along the back wall.

 Other countries such as Greece, China and the Polynesia Islands were also represented in the exhibit along with the permanent India display and Orchid room. Pictures from the rest of the rooms will be up soon but since this post is getting long I will end it now.

The show closes soon so hopefully you will be able to go and see it and experience all the wonderful spring flowers.

Terrariums and Tulips

 I had the pleasure this week to visit the 2012 Philadelphia Flower Show where the theme was Hawaii! Large landscapes and installations featured native flora such as birds of paradise, palm trees and of course orchids. I spent hours walking through the convention center with my mom looking at all of the displays and some of vendors, taking close to 400 pictures. I'll have more than enough topics to share over the next month.

Some of the first things that I saw when walking into the convention center hall were the small individual plants and terrariums. Terrariums are probably one of my favorite forms of displaying plants and flowers and I was not disappointed by the entries at the flower show. I think that not only do you have to a well maintained and thriving plant but an interesting container in which to display it.The terrariums were grouped on the size of the containers and number of plants each housed. I tend to prefer larger structures with multiple plants.
Here are some pictures of some my favorites; I couldn't get the best angle on some of them because of the large crowd.

The group of large containers with multiple plants.

I really like the uniqueness of this terrarium.

Such an interesting container!

Smaller container with a single flower variety.

Right next to the terrariums were rows of brightly colored pots of tulips. Nothing says spring is here more than a beautiful bunch of tulips, unless of course it is the daffodils right beside them. However, I must admit to preferring the arrays of colorful tulips and thus took numerous pictures as opposed to only one daffodil shot.
Enjoy!

Some of the beautiful tulip entries.

Tulipa Acuminata

Tulipa 'Pinocchio'

Tulipa 'Tom Pouce'

Tulipa 'Foxtrot': Blue Ribbon Winner

Narcissus 'Accent': My lone daffodil picture. I like the unique coloring.