Highlights

SHOW GARDENS

Always an event highlight, the show gardens didn’t disappoint. The extravagance of the gardens captivates you; they draw you in and take you to another world. The gardens are designed to tell a story, and how the designers interpret themes and concepts is very clever. designers from all over the world compete for medals and awards. Sustainability was a common theme, as was outdoor living along with the importance of ‘green life’ balance, essentially spending time outdoors with nature.

HANGING BASKETS

About 200 hanging baskets were on show, and while I doubt people would come to the show just to see hanging baskets, they absolutely captivated me as they were so creative.

For anyone who only has a small space at home, doing something fun with plants in a hanging basket can be very rewarding. Lots of fun ideas for kids too. Well worth a look.

The mantra remains for all participants to have fun and challenge themselves. as a result, virtually anything is fair game if it can be successfully grown in a basket.

TABLE SETTINGS

In the flower pavilion this year, the table-setting competition returned, which has always been one of my favourite sections. It was amazing to see the ‘wonder’ that the talented florists designed. Sharing a meal in a beautiful setting simply makes any occasion more memorable.

SCARECROWS

Children from schools around Victoria were invited to participate in the scarecrow competition. each scarecrow had to be made from recycled materials. it would have been hard to judge these quirky and interesting pieces of art. Hats off to all the schools that participated.