The San Francisco Flower and Garden Show

Elegant small-space solutions abound at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. Display garden created by Outdoor Environments. (Photo by Genevieve Schmidt.)

Small space garden ideas

The display gardens are undoubtedly one of the biggest draws, and with good reason. Landscape designers from around the Bay create showpiece gardens for visitors to walk through and enjoy. Because each landscaper has an area less than the size of an average backyard, you can learn from the pro tips they use to contain and beautify a petite space.

Vertical gardening, planting ideas for hedges, and innovative garden walls all create privacy and a sense of enclosure. Shade structures and the soothing sound of water features also help screen neighboring views and sounds.

Get inspired to select your own décor pieces for the landscape. Display garden by Green Valley Landscape. (Photo by Genevieve Schmidt.)

Garden décor

When creating an eye-catching garden in a limited space, garden décor becomes an essential element in a successful design. The display gardens all feature ideas for placement, color, and new styles which may work with your own garden at home.

Choosing the right décor can be an intimidating process for many, but after seeing how the designers integrate their décor choices into the surrounding landscape, you'll feel much more confident choosing seating, cushions, fire pits and other elements.

This diagonally-stacked stone wall is personalized beautifully. Wall created by Mariposa Gardening & Design. (Photo by Genevieve Schmidt.)

Stone walls, stairs and pathways

Stone is another element that many homeowners shy away from. It's heavy to move and is usually sold by the pound, which will tell you something about the price! Yet if done well, stone can add an immediate sense of character and maturity to a landscape.

The display gardens at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show offer practical inspiration for using stone effectively. Diagonally-stacked stone walls, found objects placed within stonework, eco-friendly pavers and stone stairways are just a few of the pro-designed features in the display gardens. Bring a camera so you can capture the ideas that speak to you.

Edible gardens need not look like a farm. Display by Star Apple Edible Gardens. (Photo by Genevieve Schmidt.)

Edible landscapes

While we need little inspiration on which vegetables to grow (look to your dinner plate for the best ideas!), it can be hard to grow our own food in a way that looks as good as it tastes. That's where the garden show comes in.

The display gardens showcase new ways of incorporating edibles into the landscape without looking like a farming project. You'll find stylish raised beds, cold frames and ideas for combining edibles with ornamentals.

The plant vendors offer thousands of hard-to-find varieties for sale. (Photo by San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.)

New plants and innovative tools

The garden show brings together specialty nurseries and vendors that might not otherwise welcome retail customers, giving you a chance to buy unusual varieties and new colors that may not be available at your local garden center. Plus, blacksmiths and inventors bring all kinds of tools to make your gardening easier and more fun.

Of course, one of the issues people experience at garden shows is that mid-day overwhelm. That's the best time to catch one of the free seminars offered with the price of admission. After an hour of sitting and soaking up the expertise of one of the speakers, you'll feel refreshed and ready to explore the rest of the show.