Macy's annual flower show opens opens Sunday, March 23 and runs through Sunday, April 6 2014. This year's theme is "The Secret Garden" and something you don't want to miss. Here are some photographs of the garden vignettes and plants at the Macy's State Street store in Chicago taken during the media preview while the exhibits were still being planted.
I won't show you all of the gardens so as not to spoil "The Secret Garden" displays but the entrance to the flower show is pretty spectacular. It features a tall mannequin in a living dress composed of hundreds of leafs and some plants. When completed it will look like she's picking up a garden while dragging her dress through the garden. Oh, and there's lots of topiary for those of us who love the art of topiary.
A charming antique bicycle planted with Gerbera daisies is part of Salvador Dali inspired garden that is really surreal.
A blue mannequin planted in the surreal garden makes an impact. It looks like Doctor Manhattan had an accident while working in the garden.
Another antique element in the surreal garden. This piano is planted with various colorful bromeliads.
A Japanese maple planted upside down. I don't think this photo does justice to just how striking this feature of the surreal garden is.
One of my favorite garden exhibits is the urban garden that showcases some interesting small-space garden ideas. Here's a seating area with a vertical garden planted with succulents.
The same urban garden with colorful tire planters populated with succulents among some colorful garden bed ideas. On the right is a metal tub acting as a raised bed.