Sonoma County Fair

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Saturday I went to the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa. This year's theme is Cruise On In. The director of the flower exhibits, Greg Duncan, took that idea and came up with a Ports of Call theme for the garden competitions. When you first walk in, spread out before you is a large body of water containing a cruise ship, a mermaid, and a desert island. Clustered around this central area are the professional competition gardens that each represent an exotic Port of Call. There is Istanbul, Turkey, San Francisco, CA, Barcelona, Spain, Rio De Janero, Brazil, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Key West Florida, Mykonos Greece, Cozumel, Mexico, Ketchikan, Alaska, Sorrento,Italy, and Papeete, Tahiti.

As you can imagine it was an amazing display with riotous colors. The amateur gardens with similar ports of call themes were just outside under shade. What I thought was most creative, however was a display tucked in an end of the main display hall. It was a take off on the famous sumptuous cruise ship buffets. The kick was instead of food, they were serving up plants. Talk about thinking outside the box.

So if you can't afford a world cruise this year or you would love some inspiration, check out the Sonoma Fair. It continues through August 12, 2012. They did mention a plant sale the morning after the fair ends.

photos by Karen Metz