Best in show....Home and garden, that is

A few weeks ago, we visited the Cincinnati Home and Garden Show. For my birthday....yippee! We had a great outing...the kids were well-behaved and there was much to see at the show. My husband watched the kids play on the trampoline and playsets for a while so I could walk around at my leisure. It was lovely!

I brought my camera so I could snap some pics of the great plantings. First up, nothing says spring like a weeping cherry and tulips.

I would love to plant a hellebore in my yard....but I'm not sure I have a spot that is shady enough.

I am not sure of the name of this plant....I think it might be pieris? I like the variegated leaves and pink blooms.

I also love azaleas....but have never had much luck with them in my yard. Even though I picked a nice, winter hardy variety in an eastern-facing planting. Oh, well.

I have no idea what this plant is...but I really liked it!

L.O.V.E. this heuchera. So cool with the dark maroon centers.

Bald cypress....I like how these needles are so soft, but look prickly.

Fothergilla....I miss this plant that was planted at our old house. Coming soon here at our new house.

Love hyacinths. Such a beautiful smell and so pretty. Luckily, the deer also leave them alone.

Really enjoyed this container planting with willows and liatris adding visual interest. Although these two plants would never be in bloom together in nature.

A plant new to me.....nandina. A type of bamboo. Small and shrubby. Great color! Considered planting this, but was looking for something with blooms....but I will keep this one in mind!

Tulips....so pretty! Too bad the deer eat them and they don't reliably rebloom.

This hardscape was so cool with the edges planted with a type of thyme.

This bed was nice with the colors laid out as such....

This example showed nicely how uplighting makes a huge difference in how the landscape can look in the evening.

That sweet heuchera with a nice coleus.

Beautiful double tulip blooms.

Of the non-plant features, this inset light was pretty neat.

I really loved how these wine bottles were stored and backlit so the light shone through the wine bottles!!!

And the most disturbing thing I saw that day????

Wait for it.....

I didn't know what to make of the weird mannequin lounging by the hot tub. Really kind of disturbing.

All in all, it was great! As impressed as I was with all of the plantings, I was hoping the average homeowner was not walking though, thinking how their yard could totally look like these. Even though the plants were so beautiful, none of those plants would ever be in bloom together at the same time in real life! It is amazing how the landscape designers manage to force those blooms for exactly the right time, though.

Thanks to my wonderful husband for a lovely birthday outing!