Sherman Gardens' greenHOUSE

As mentioned in my last post, Sherman Library & Gardens has a special exhibit running until mid-September.  While the primary purpose of my visit last Saturday was to attend the Plant-o-rama sale, my secondary objective was to check out the greenHOUSE exhibit, which features "rooms" inserted into garden settings.

First up is the Bedroom.

The bed and its wood canopy frame sits adjacent to the the garden's large lath shade house.  (Sherman's lath house was the inspiration for my garden's own much smaller structure.)

View from the foot of the bed

There wasn't a list of the plants that made up this creation but my guess is that the mix includes: Ipomoea barbatas (sweet potato vine), tuberous Begonias, Centranthus ruber, Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame', and red-flowered Arctotis.  I thought the maroon foliage plant could be an Alternanthera like 'Brazilian Red Hots' but I'm not at all confident of that.

The Formal Dining Room was perhaps the most elaborate display.

Notice the utensils used in the table settings!  Large terracotta pots planted with boxwood shrubs served as chairs.

View of the table from the other end.  A friend identified the shrub with the golden foliage for me earlier - I think it's Ligustrum sinense 'Sunshine' but my memory isn't entirely reliable.  I believe the purple-leaved plants are basil. 

I recognized the plants included in the centerpiece as tuberous Begonias,  Physalis (tomatillos), Echinacea (coneflowers) and Tropaeolum majus (nasturtiums)

Edibles planted behind the dining table included artichokes and corn

The 3-piece Lavatory was spread out within what's generally known as the Sun Garden.

The mirror-topped sink was very popular with visitors taking photos.  I picked a vantage point that captured a spectacular Tibouchina heteromalla in lieu of my face.  Other plants surrounding the sink included Delphinium, Digitalis purpurea, an Eryngium of some kind, and Senecio candicans 'Angel Wings'.

More views of the Tibouchina.  I grew T. urvilleana in my former garden but it was rangy.  There were 2 in my current garden when we moved in but one after the other died out during our earlier drought.  I adore T. heteromalla but I can't justify planting it in my garden given the water it requires.

Another important lavatory piece sits in the middle of the garden's pond, largely blocking garden mascot, Sherman the otter, in the background.  The little girl viewing the toilet on the right looked perplexed.

Another view, showing off the mossy toilet paper.  Plants in this area included Acanthus, Cleome, Delphinium, Digitalis, and water lilies of some kind. 

The nearby tub included more water plants

I almost missed the Music Chamber, tucked into a corner within the Shade Garden.

The moss-covered piano is surrounded by ferns, including small and large-leaved Adiantum (maidenhair ferns) and Platycerium (stag horn ferns), as well as a variety of Begonias

Close up of the Begonias

The Parlor was low-key but popular with families taking photos.

I never got a good enough look at the flowers planted in the drawers of the fuchsia-colored side tables to identify them

The last room was the Study, located next to the Succulent Garden.

Moss and small succulents were the main elements used to dress the space, including the books on the shelves

If it'd been up to me, I think I'd have planted a spiky Agave in the seat of that chair but then that might have posed safety concerns

The exhibit was inventive and fun.  It reminded me of an exhibit put on in early 2020 at RHS Wisley in the UK.  Referred to alternatively as The Monstera Mansion or the Giant Houseplant Takeover, it featured tender plants occupying rooms within Wisley's glasshouse.  It was open from late January through March 1, 2020, just as the pandemic was gaining steam.  I'd have loved to attend in person but was consigned to virtual tours via various online publications.  Each featured somewhat different photos but, if you didn't get a see the exhibit in one way or another, you can find links to a few sources here, here, and here.

Enjoy your weekend however you may be spending it!

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party