Wine Country blossoms

<p>The first visitors to a verdant floral exhibit at the Sonoma County fairgrounds were invited to savor the scenes of Wine Country, by none other than Bacchus himself.</p><p>The Roman deity, better known in Greek mythology as Dionysus, the god of wine, held out his hand Sunday while perched over a fountain flowing with what appeared to be the dark burgundy beverage of his providence.</p><p>Nearby, rows of young zinfandel vines, a 30-foot-tall wine press and rustic sipping patios were other signs of the distinctly homegrown theme of this year's Hall of Flowers, the floral showcase of the Sonoma County Fair, which begins Tuesday.</p><p>"It's nice to see the Wine Country celebrated," said first-time attendee Kristin Quince, of Santa Rosa, one of about 500 visitors to Sunday's event.</p><p>The 48th annual flower show with its theme of "In Our Backyard" is meant to highlight the gardens of Sonoma County Wine Country.</p><p>That's in stark contrast to the focus of say, last year's show, which paid homage to the Jurassic period, using dinosaurs, giant insects and volcanoes in its decorations.</p><p>"Every once in awhile you want to bring it back home," said Greg Duncan, the show's designer.</p><p>The main exhibition hall, reserved for professional displays, features "fantasy gardens" that pay tribute to the county's 12 designated grape-growing regions.</p><p>An exhibit for the Sonoma Coast includes a shellfish-laden lagoon, weathered boat dock and several lifelike statues of hunting shorebirds. A Russian River Valley garden has the region's ubiquitous coastal redwoods, albeit the 10-foot variety. And an attractive Sonoma Mountain plot features a 25-foot-long wooden flume fountain, harking back to the area's pioneer era.</p><p>Overlooking it all on the hall's north and south walls are two giant murals by artist John Michener, one showing a cross-section of the county from Alexander Valley to Sonoma Mountain, and the other depicting a long stretch of the county's coastline.</p><p>"It really feels like our region outside," said Petaluma resident Debbie Davison, a veteran show fan. "It represents us well."</p><p>Construction of the exhibition began in April. Professionals had three weeks to put together their displays, while the 11 gardeners in the amateur category and 16 groups in the junior division had just days to arrange their displays in the hall's outside annex.</p><p>The last month of plant deliveries, dirt moving and fountain fixes amounted to "organized chaos," Duncan said Sunday with a weary smile.</p><p>The preview event serves as a fundraiser, providing $11,000 in scholarships to local college students pursuing agriculture.</p><p>Visitors milled about among the displays with wineglasses and appetizers in hand. Some said the event felt smaller than in years past. The number of amateur and junior entrants was down this year by a total of five.</p><p>Others praised the event for the inspiration it provides to veteran and novice green thumbs alike.</p><p>"We look for new plants. We look for new ideas," said Stan Knox of Kenwood, who has competed in the show several times as an amateur.</p><p>New Santa Rosa homeowner Alaric Stephenson said he liked the look of a patio spotlighting the Rockpile region, near Lake Sonoma.</p><p>"I cannot do that," he said, laughing and looking at the giant wine press and fountain at the center of the hall.</p><p>The Green Valley exhibit, done by Sebastopol-based Landscape Restoration by Pozzi, took home best in show honors in the professional category.</p><p>Top honors in the amateur category went to the Dry Creek Valley garden designed by Steven Rogina, of Windsor. Green Valley 4-H Club earned the top junior group award, and Lisa and Alexandra Kasper, of Glen Ellen, won the top award for an individual junior entry.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Brett Wilkison at 521-5295 or brett.wilkison@pressdemocrat.com.</p>