As usual, for me it was the lectures. I missed ANN LOVEJOY and DANIEL HINKLEY (I was there wed-fri) but enjoyed about 9 other lectures during that time. I found most of the display gardens the same old same old...stone, water, flowering trees and little cottages...nothing very inspirational there this year. I found some neat plants for sale and brought home as many as I could carry including 3 colors of phormium, a golden pine, and white phygelius.

Shopping. Otherwise....I did enjoy the largish Calocedrus decurrens 'Berrima Gold'. Tried to bring that one back from UK about 12 years ago but it didn't seem to be able to handle barerooting and washing at all, as soon as I exposed the roots they had that look. Bought several, none lived. Read recently Coenosium Gardens started offering it here in North America at about the same time.

bboy, I saw that plant last year at the show and went nuts searching for it. I found several at Valley nursery in Poulsbo last summer and almost bought one! I passed when I suspected that it needed winter sun (something I am in short supply of at my house) to maintain that great color. I have since created space. Do you know if winter sun is essential? The plants were NOT cheap!!!!!!!!!!! I always enjoy the show and the seminars! Ron Rule was a hoot!

Dear Bamboo Mary Who's Really in Zone 8, part shade should be fine. Incense cedar likes full light but puts up with less. I saw some 'Berrima Gold' at Sky awhile back, think they probably came from Stanley & Sons. It's grafted, so will always be priced accordingly. Would look great in a bed of Lithodora. Coenosium Gardens is in Eatonville, has a mailorder catalog and web site. THE PLANT LOCATOR - WESTERN REGION* lists only forestfarm for 'Berrima Gold', they probably don't have it now but check their web site if interested (check their web site anyway, they possibly have the largest selection of mailorder plants in North America).

Some day I will buy one again myself, it's a honey.

*2004 Black-Eyed Susans Press

I was rather underwhelmed by the show......on the day I attended, none of the seminars appealed, the display gardens were very ho-hum, the container display totally uninspired. I did enjoy the display of conifers and yes, I fell for the Berrima Gold as well and the Chief Joseph shore pine - stunning colors and I might just have to track down a small CJ for a container.

I most enjoyed seeing and chatting with folks I don't see often, as well as the company of a new friend/neighbor who I met through this forum and who is a recent transplant here from California (hi Shirley!). And I shopped also, adding a few new epimediums and arisaemas to my growing collections and a particularly attractive little hellebore hybrid from one of my favorite vendors.

I concur with the previous comments. Was the conifer display you're talking about the one put together by Garden World of Hubbard, OR? They published a little booklet with the descriptions and names of each plant. I glommed onto a 'Dacrydium cupressinum' and Pinus parviflora 'ogon janome'. I'd never seen either of these. Chief Joseph was my must have plant last year...but I still don't have it. Porterhowse Nursery in Sandy Oregon sells it and they have great stuff. They're easily found on the web and usually come to Seattle for the big Arboretum Sale in April.

While I enjoyed a very few things at the show, and did not have time to go to any presentations, here are my negative comments. Prepare yourself.

The NWFAGS is NOT actually a garden show. It's a LIFESTYLE show. It has so little to do with plants or gardening. Mostly gift-shoppy accoutrements. The display gardens are primarily aimed at getting design/install companies a few big orders from wealthy clients who do not actually garden themselves. Overall, there's little that is earthy, dirty, organic about the show.

Granted there are a few nurseries selling that are off the beaten path. Far Reaches of Poulsbo (?) has hellebores and aroids. I saw fewer actual nurseries this year and some of my favorites did not buy the space.

I did spend some time upstairs in the refugee section, where all the non-profit actual garden-oriented people are relegated.

With winter not actually over, I prefer to wait until the Arboretum Sale before buying any plants.

>The NWFAGS is NOT actually a garden show. It's a LIFESTYLE show. It has so little to do with plants or gardening. Mostly gift-shoppy accoutrements.For a similar mix click on 'GardenWeb Forums' at the top of this page, visit a big box store where so many seem to think the same selection of plants as at an independent nursery can be found (but more cheaply)...even large independent garden centers often have a big store full of stuff in front with plants out back and around the sides. If it's the same situation as it was some years ago, the gifts, furniture and whatnot inside helps them get through the year, as serious gardening is still primarily an impulse that comes on strong in spring only. Plant nuts like us are not the majority portion of their customer base.

Salmon Bay Events also does the Seattle Interior Show. The NWFAGS should really be called the Seattle Exterior Show. It's mainly about how you can decorate your outdoor areas. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it ain't really about gardening.

An example of where it's really at is years ago Smith & hawken sold amazing top quality English garden tools, which I bought and have used for 20 years. It was hand forged, nearly unbreakable, and had a nice big welded tread you could stomp on.

That is now discontinued. What they sell is stainless, which isn't as good a metal, but sure is pretty. It doesn't have a welded tread. It's a gift item. Smith & Hawken is a gift store, not a garden store.

I bought one of their last closeouts of the already downgraded English spade as a backup, fearing that I would never be able to replace my original.

That's life in the new millennium. Oh well.

I agree that the people were the best part.

Pam was the perfect travel partner and we covered a lot of territory in a short time. The time talking to the owner of Edelweiss Perennials and buying plants from him was the highlight of the show. Along with the some wonderful epimediums I bought an Acanthus mollis, HollardÂs Gold' that I had been lusting over. Price was great and the plant is healthy and huge.

Yeah, yeah it can be invasive, but it is beautiful and will stay evergreen here as opposed to going dormant like in CA. The new growth is so beautiful that I had to have it! LOL

You can see it at the swap in May! Details to be posted on the PNW Garden Exchange Forum.
sps