Interesting what you say....I was at the Philadelphia Flower show....one of the 2 biggest in the country....and found the "trends" quite different than you see them.
The cutting edge garden designers were heading more to the naturalistic looks this year. Woodland settings were very big with small streams and ponds running through. There were were natural settings that even included a Canada thistle or 2 for naturalizm.
Koi in irregular ponds were much in evidence as were informal drifts of borders.
Franklyn Styre won the best in show award with a lovely garden featuring willows of all sorts and an imaginative ( if impractical) walk way of pussy willows.
LOL on the salsa session! You need to visit the cooking forum here....mango, ginger, kiwi, pineapple as well as tomatillo salsas are frequently mentioned.
I see you are copywriting your newsletter....is it published anywhere but here?
Linda C

Linda,

It is good to hear from you again. I appreciate that you weighed in on this pond/water feature thing. If you noticed, I did say that I *thought* it was a developing midwestern trend. I was a little fearful to paint with too broad of a brush. Your perspective from the east side of the country certainly displays a different taste. I could be entirely wrong but after coming away from a couple of shows that used to have ponds, ponds, ponds; I am not seeing that anymore.

It is also interesting that at the opposite end of the spectrum (and opposite side of the country) the folks in California seem to be saying that they have never embraced the pond thing at all. Michelle Derviss, an accomplished California designer had this to say about my impressions:

"Ironbelly,
I am going to go out on a limb and say something that might sound a bit 'regionalist'.
I believe that you may be seeing this new water feature design direction from a midwesterners perspective.

On the West Coast, and in particularly in California, the formal and or sculptural water feature has been in favor over the spewing naturalistic ( ? ! ) pond look for decades.

When someone mentions a natural water feature for a home here in the west, my immediate visual image is of a Spanish/Mexican style raised courtyard fountains made of hand painted tiles veneering a low hexagon shaped slightly raise (sitting height) basin.

If someone on the East Coast were ask me to sketch my first impression of a water feature for the garden, I would probably sketch out the old granite grist mill stone that is laid out on its face with a trickle of water streaming over its weathered sides. Interestingly, this old style of water feature is still being designed into modern landscapes (think of Oheme and Van Sweden's use of this water feature)

The spewing volcano water feature that dribbled down into a rubber lined hole in the ground with a surrounding stone necklace was never very big here on the west coast.
With the exception that these spewing water warts/ faux ponds might be found in a transplanted midwesterners garden. : ~ )"
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It has been said that gardening in general is going to become more regional. Perhaps this is one area where we will begin to see more regionalism.

I have to admit that I usually prefer water features over ponds -- just a personal preference. I still think that the old wringer washing machine water feature that Suzanne had on her back deck for the Chicagoland GardenWeb Get-Together Sunday brunch is one of the best I have ever seen. It was very well thought out, whimsical and not overdone. Everything about it just fit.

I have one more garden show to attend this year in a week or two. It will be interesting to see if "my trend" holds true at that show as well. I didn't get to the Des Moines show but perhaps someone who did will weigh in from there or other shows from the region.

IronBelly

It seems that all the home improvement shows, install the natural rock ponds. I just like the idea of the water. I love the birds it draws.

Actually, I kind of like the over-flowing pot water features that seem to be "in" at the moment. They give you a bit of water sound, don't take up a lot of room to set up and they are easy to take down for winter storage...

IB, You're friends description of mid-west garden ponds "The spewing volcano water feature that dribbled down into a rubber lined hole in the ground with a surrounding stone necklace" seems to be a bit on the harsh side. But that's her opinion. I think anybody that puts the time and effort into building their gardens, how ever they choose do it, should be applauded, if for no other reason than because they tried. But that's just my opinion. Put them together and it still won't buy you a cup of coffee. :)

So where is the next garden show?? :)

Diann
IA Z5a

The garden show is just across the Mississippi River in Rock Island, Illinois -- right next to the new Quad City Botanical Center. (see link below for details)

I agree with you, Diann, about the "over-flowing pot water features" for all the same reasons. I also like the fact that people really seem to fit them into the context of their surroundings a little bit better as well.

I had to kind of chuckle at your reaction to the "California description" of ponds. Compared to a lot of things I have heard from lots of other folks the past several years, I thought she was pretty tame! Although perhaps a bit abrasive, unfortunately some of her observations are too frequently seen.

I really have mixed emotions about this. While I totally agree that anyone should be given credit for trying, I am always at somewhat of a loss how to also keep encouraging people to improve. It is a fine line. I find that I often learn the most by following the lead of an excellent example. I am constantly struggling to improve myself and learn as much as I can. All people are different and you just never know.

However, if I had to chose between trying and failing or never trying at all; I would go for the failure. I guess then that the failure would propel me analyze things, study up and do it better the next time. Many things in life are a process.

IronBelly

I think it really comes down to each individual's comfort level in how they want to garden. As with all things, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. :)

April 1 - 3 for that garden show, eh? That's getting into prime gardening season, but if it rains... :)

Diann
IA Z5a

I like Diann's take of each persons idea of what they want for a garden. I know there is garden design that is more pleasing to the eye but I think it's what you enjoy in your garden that counts. I like your ideas, Ironbelly, as it gives a person something new to think about. I like to go see other gardens, classes, and reading ect. but in the end I have my 5 acres out in the country and I arrange them for my satisfaction.

I have been adding more and more pots. Saw self-watering type and for hanging pot I use the " spikes" you use with pop bottles. Kinda dresses them up with dolls covering them will keep basket watered for 4 dyas.

I agree with the take on shrubs and trees. it seems as though any kind of tree that flowers and is under 20 ft. are very popular. it also seems as though weeping type trees are still very popular within the garden community. they seem to make a very showy focal point on any garden. you can pretty much grow anything in a pot/container now-a-days. i'm still partial to the terra cotta pots. inexpensive and serves the purpose.

Hawk,

I used to feel the same way you do about terra cotta pots. However, I have sort of gotten away from them for reasons both practical and esthetic. One of the best and worst features of the common old terra cotta or "clay" pot is that this material breathes. The problem with that aspect is that, particularly in outdoor situations, the water consumption soars and you sometimes have trouble keeping the moisture adequate on hot, breezy days. As I indicated earlier, I am not one who enjoys fussing daily over a pot. When you start asking yourself if you are keeping a pot or is the pot keeping you? -- the pot goes! I'll be darned if I am going to be shackled to daily watering of a pot.

I still find the look of terra cotta appealing. However, over the years, I have learned to introduce color schemes into my landscape through the use of bold, dramatic pots. I especially like to use matching 24-inch, brightly glazed pots flanking the entry to my home billowing with colorful foliage plants. I have an 18" round by 36" tall pot glazed in chromium red dripping with platinum gray bands of accent standing as sentinel to the doorway of my sunroom. The Kenitlworth Ivy cascading down the sides of the pot makes quite a dramatic statement contrasting with the glazing. Large pots with striking colors can easily (and rather inexpensively) denote separation and imply a gateway into adjoining outdoor "garden rooms".

Below is my favorite picture of a pot that I wish were mine.

IronBelly

Now that's what I call a POT!!! Just let someone try to steal that.

I wonder what is your opinion of the Davenport show lately? When it was "Symphony in Bloom", I thought it was wonderful. Then it started getting more commercial. A little was great. BUT, the last time I went was 2 years ago. I was SO commercialised there were not near as many good garden and actual plant displays. We have to drive 90 miles, and decided it was no longer worth the trip. Darn shame, I used to love to make a day of it.

Cheribelle,

Your assessment of Symphony In Bloom mirrors mine on many levels. This used to be a wonderful garden show. Unfortunately, greed and social snobbery have ruined a good thing. Of course, years ago, this event was held in Rock Island, Illinois in a building right next to the Quad City Botanical Center. Although the facilities had some limitations, the show was wonderful. Then, a split came about and currently, there are two shows (probably one too many). Now, the Symphony In Bloom is held in Iowa and a competing show (being held April 1st, 2nd & 3rd) remains at the original Rock Island site.

The Rock Island show is very well managed. I have been asked to speak at both shows in the past and everything about the Rock Island show was professional, accommodating and they showed appreciation. The speaking engagement for Symphony In Bloom was such a frustrating debacle of confusion, excuses and outrageous demands that I will NEVER attempt to work with those people again -- and those comments are pretty mild compared to most of the vendors who you no longer see at that show.

I really embrace the concept of Symphony In Bloom and the charitable support that it gives to our local symphony orchestra. There are some dedicated, kind souls who are behind this fund-raiser. Unfortunately, there seems to be a whole herd of high-society twits that have taken over. A show like this is an organizational monster. It demands a lot of hard work by dedicated, focused people. Sadly, far too many of them focused on seeing their name in print because anything to do with hard work was certainly below their station in life.

One year, most of the vendors providing the displays got so ticked off at getting their booth rates jacked-up that most of them pulled out. The show started its continuing decline. Although don't know this for a fact, there are strong rumors that this was their last year. Meanwhile, most of those same vendors are showing at the Rock Island event.

Gosh ... It seems like I am writing for the National Inquirer!

IronBelly

We went to the one in Rock Island. Maybe on your recommendation I'll try it again.