Alden Lane Nursery Show part 3: Inspiration

Arches & Greenery
Arches & Greenery

See part 1 and part 2.

I dream of a beautiful garden. I find green things and flowers so attractive. Sadly, I don’t want to do the work required. Periodically, I get a bug in my ear and do some work on one part of my yard, feel great and then do nothing for months until the next bug gets in my ear.

Sigh.

One of the things I loved about the show was the non-quilt inspiration I got there. Everywhere I looked the employees had gone out of the way to make the gardens attractive to look at. Even the tables filled with flats of flowers and other plants looked wonderful. This place is no Home Depot; it appears that the owners and employees actually care about their work.

Garden art - Alden Lane Nursery
Garden art – Alden Lane Nursery

One part that I liked were the random sculptures. I don’t know if they would fit the ‘official’ definition of sculpture, but I thought the displays were sculpture.

I really liked the one on the side of a shed that looked like windows. I suppose a person could make something similar with 1x1s and some larger wood for the outside. It might look nice hanging on the back of my house in some pleasing arrangement. It would require some work, though, and I don’t know that I am up for it.

Part of what was so great was the weather. It was a beautiful day: sunny and not too hot. Not only did the wonderful weather make it pleasant to walk around, but it also made gorgeous shadows, which added to the look of the non-quilt ‘art’. (The shadows on the quilts was a little bit frustrating.)

Garden art - Alden Lane Nursery
Garden art – Alden Lane Nursery

I am sure Alden Lane is serious about their plants, but they have a sense of humor, too, which was exhibited at the entrance.

It made me laugh. I am not sure I would put it in my yard, but given the right space, I wouldn’t count it out either. I love the humor and wonder if it says something about the owners? Perhaps a worker has a good sense of humor on which the owners capitalize? In either case, I think they should do more.

I might like a tub like that in my bathroom, though…

Garden art - Alden Lane Nursery
Garden art – Alden Lane Nursery

TFQ loves coleus. I saw this arrangement and thought of her.

It is a particularly appropriate arrangement, because we write letters back and forth. I can’t see her putting a mailbox like this in her yard, though.

I think TFQ was on my mind, because she was planning to visit that weekend and I thought it would be fun to go to the show together.

In looking at the color of the coleus and the color of the mailbox post, I wonder how the arrangement would look with a blue post? Red and green are opposites on the color wheel and the success of the look might hinge on that relationship. Still, it would be interesting to see a series of tableaus like this in different colors.

I think often of the type of outdoor rooms or living spaces that I see in glossy home and garden magazines. I know they wouldn’t really be practical for me because I would be able to use the “room,” maybe, four weeks out of the year. Still, a girl can dream.

Nice outdoor living! - Alden Lane Nursery
Nice outdoor living! – Alden Lane Nursery

I do dream about them when see an arrangement that includes a chandelier outdoors. I can’t imagine that this one would work, but in my imaginary house set in an imaginary  place that has the perfect climate, mine would work and cast a soft glow over my perfectly cooked kebabs.

Sigh.

Good thing dreams are free, right?

And from the Excellence in Marketing Department:

If I – the reasonable and authoritative side of me – didn’t know that my yard needs a lot of work before it will be at the stage where I can buy flowers to plant for a few weeks, I would have bought pots and pots of flowers simply because of displays like this red window box. Doesn’t it make you think that your life would be more beautiful if you had such a thing at your house?

Nice sales display - Alden Lane Nursery
Nice sales display – Alden Lane Nursery

I promise Alden Lane is not paying me. 😉

 

 

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

2 thoughts on “Alden Lane Nursery Show part 3: Inspiration”

  1. Yes, I understand the inspiration of a beautiful garden, but am not willing to put in the work. So I visit them, admire them, then go home to my quilting. Thank you for sharing the show in these posts, Jaye.

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