16 Feb the end of the exhibition is only the beginning

People always ask me what happens to all the materials and plants after we finish exhibiting at a garden show.  It’s a great question because it’s another element of planning and design we must take into consideration.

Firstly we design and layout the exhibit to allow for most of the plants to remain in their pots.  These plants are returned to growers who have kindly supplied them for free or more often a rent fee that covers cartage, damage and their trouble.  Materials are also often supplied by sponsors that do it for either the relationship, the advertising or for cost.  A lot of these materials are unable to be returned for sale but with a little consideration at the design stage they can be re-used and recycled by the contractors on their normal projects.   Like the designer milk crates (yes, these are a design item now!) from the clever team at Rock Martin Industries, or other items like lights, furniture and screens to name a few can be returned for resale.  This year we grew a lot of the plant stock ourselves with the assistance of Footscray City Secondary College in their shade house facilities.  As part payment for this half the plants we grew in the shade house stayed there to be planted in their gardens.

Part of the inspiration for the MIFGS design was my own laneway which runs down the side of our house in a bayside Melbourne suburb, so a lot of plants we used came back to revive our local laneway.  (I can’t resist planting in Right of Ways and greening up the area I live in – but more on that in another post!!).

The gorgeous bluestone pavers came from and went back to City of Port Phillip Council depot.

And finally, I know you are wondering – what about the great street art of Conrad Bizjak – well you’ll have to get an invite to a BBQ in our backyard to see that!