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The Late Show Gardens blossom at Cornerstone
Jody Purdom | Sonoma Valley Sun
Inspired by a mannerist garden in Italy, the Future Feast table used the technology of green roofs for its living surface.
Cornerstone was abuzz last weekend when an innovative garden festival showcasing plants, gardening techniques and designs for a Mediterranean climate took over the terrain. The first-ever Late Show Gardens brought thousands of people from all over California to view the 17 unique garden designs, participate in dozens of hourly lectures by experts in the field and peruse the offerings from a wide range of specially selected garden merchants.
“We received nothing but positive feedback from the general public and press that were in attendance,” said Kathleen Marmion, spokesperson for the Late Show Gardens event. “Everyone said they enjoyed the show, the experience and the atmosphere immensely. We are thrilled.”
Different from other garden shows, The Late Show Gardens were conceived to fill a void in the horticultural community from both a substance and timing perspective, said Marmion. The show’s goal is to educate and share with the public the aspects of gardening that address the changing environment including drought, viable practices and renewable resources by saving water and increasing the use of sustainable plants and materials.
Event attendees were encouraged to stroll Cornerstone and view the unique garden concepts – many new, others Cornerstone fixtures – including a bee garden, a fanciful hermit’s house and garden, a 200-cubic-square-foot melting wall of ice and a soaring bamboo sculpture. A lecture series provided information and answered questions about fire-safe gardens, gardening for wildlife with native plants and many other topics including regular garden-based story times for children.
The Grow Melt Project, a wall of ice 6 feet high and 20 feet long, made a statement about climate change as its slow thaw affected various plants.
According Chris Hougie, one of Cornerstone’s owners, quite a few of the garden designs will remain and become a permanent part of the exhibition gardens. “There was a terrific, energizing force as dozens of artists and designers arrived and set up their gardens. There was activity and camaraderie and it was wonderful for us to see the public’s positive reaction to it all. It was consistent with our vision for Cornerstone,” said Hougie.
The Late Show Gardens is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from the three-day event will be used to support the Trust for Public Land and The Garden Conservancy. The Trust for Public Land’s new Balboa Park in San Francisco’s Excelsior district is helping change a blighted area into a much needed recreational area for the local children.
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