I know that the name is technically the San Francisco Garden Show, but that didn’t go with my alliteration scheme. When you spend THREE WHOLE DAYS at a garden show, you start to notice lots of little details. Details that folks cruising by trying to see everything and buy everything would miss. So, in order that you get the ENTIRE SFGS experience (that’s our twitter hashtag), I bring you:
THE WEIRDEST STUFF I FOUND FOR SALE AT THE FLOWER SHOW!
I pretty much bought books at the show. A great indie bookstore from Berkley set up shop with some fantastic finds. But, here’s the other stuff that I just didn’t have room for in my suitcase.
Obligatory chopping implements
The FANTASTIC thing about flower shows, home shows and the like, is that you get lots of “As Seen On TV” folks there demonstrating. By the time I took these pictures, I was not prepared to engage with anyone, so I snapped a quick shot from the side. In addition to the hand pruners cutting through BRANCHES THE SIZE OF YOUR ARM!!!!!, there was a Super Fast peeler guy. He looked TIRED by the time I saw him, standing behind his mound of vegetable peelings, under the hot lights.
A whole booth full of geraniums
I so enjoy obsessive plant geeks, and there are LOTS of those wandering around at garden shows. This booth is just for them.
Urban worms
These worms are NOT country folk. They are happiest when lounging in their worm box on the balcony of a swank condo, overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Subtle hints to refrain from stealing plants and/or lawn furniture
With a yard ornament like this, you don’t need a security system.
Handbags for people who REALLY love their pets
They also sell coin purses and keychains, which I could probably do. But, a purse. . .
Giant, blood-sucking Insects
Oh, wait, those are in NORTH CAROLINA, my hometown. (Hubby called and said, well, you know how people in the midwest see the first robin of spring? I saw our first MOSQUITO of spring. Can’t wait to get home. But, I digress) YES! You can buy a Praying Mantis! They’re great beneficial insects that will gobble up the bad guys. JUST DON’T LEAVE IT ON YOUR KITCHEN COUNTER when you get home. According to a fellow SFGS tweeter, if you do that, it will HATCH IN YOUR KITCHEN and you’ll have 200 baby praying manti running around your house.
Whimsical Watering Cans
I have one shaped like a mouse. Chances are you could get your little one to help in the garden if he or she got to water plants with this!
Necklaces made from forks
Spoon rings are SO last year.
Caramel Apples with no apple
Actually, there IS an apple in there somewhere. Maybe 1/3 pound of apple to 6 pounds of chocolate. YUM! That’s my idea of fruit!
Tipi
Yes, you can buy this at the SFGS.
Things to turn pots into tables
This is an interesting concept. I think it would work best if you had a BIG garden. It would look really strange in my yard, but I could see it on a patio garden in a swanky neighborhood. Maybe. . .
One of my fondest memories of attending the “Flower and Patio Show” in Indianapolis, Indiana as a child was the opportunity to get a GIGANTIC tissue-paper flower on a dowel rod. I just LOVED those flowers, and kept them in my room all year. Yes, they were hideously tacky. But, if you don’t have some weird stuff to look at, how can you tell how beautiful the gardens are?
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I highly recommend stopping by the show this weekend if you haven’t already. The GARDENS are beautiful, and there’s lots of cool stuff. It is 100% worth the ticket price. Check out their Facebook Fan Page for more info, GARDEN pictures, and posts from other garden bloggers!
The Garden of Words 