GARDEN CREATORS 2010

The Urban Oasis

The concept of the outdoor room gives us the opportunity to create our personal place. It is a place where we can leave behind the flashy, the loud, and the glimmering. Here we find the tranquil and well-worn comforts of our retreat, created in a contained urban setting. Here we will be soothed by the lush foliage, sheltered by the modern pergola and listen to the cooling sounds of water.

MEDAL AWARD: SILVER

Velvet Daggers³

Velvet Daggers³ is a garden that demonstrates the beautiful qualities of xeric plants. It invites the public to recognize the artistic character of species often deemed uncomfortable and dangerous. Using simple, creative gestures, the plant material is highlighted in a variety of ways. Plant forms are accentuated by a hardscape composed of contemporary, readily-available materials. The garden suggests that we seek out new applications of simple technology within the landscape, while meshing art and nature. The combination of constructed and natural elements makes this garden a great prototype for future gardens that are both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally responsible.

MEDAL AWARD: BRONZE

Salvaged Creole Jazz Courtyard

Step into a private courtyard filled with a sense of history and humor. A garden brimming with playful exuberance, soulful music, and just a bit of kitsch. An urban space, jewel-box diminutive, yet large on heart and spirit. A jazz musician's Creole courtyard: an assemblage of brick and recycled tile, vintage instruments, funky succulents and darkly mysterious plants, salvaged wood, rebar and broken concrete. An intimate space that celebrates our place in time by honoring our past. A garden that respects our future through its repurposed, recycled, salvaged, affordable materials. Above all, a garden that transports, enchants, and delights those lucky enough to visit.

MEDAL AWARD: GOLD

SHOW AWARDS: People's Choice Award, American Horticultural Society Award, California Association of Nurseries Award, The Sustainable Gardening Award – San Francisco Botanical Garden Society