From Deadline Rush to First Place Finish
We did it! After two full days of building, planting, styling, and a down-to-the-wire finish (oops, we even went a few minutes over the deadline), our display for the Tennessee State Fair Landscape and Nursery Competition came together beautifully — and we won First Place!
It won't be surprising to those who know our design and gardening MO, but our theme was all about raised beds. For this competition, we gave the design a personal twist, filling the 10'x10' space with not just plants, but also the little things that make a garden feel lived in: well-loved garden tools, a stack of how-to books, harvest baskets brimming with fresh veggies, and even seed-starting gear. Sarah styled our potting bench like a pro, and it became the heart of the display. You could totally imagine a gardener pausing there to tuck a tomato seedling into place.
It was really cool to connect with the other contestants (licensed landscape and nursery companies from across Tennessee) and see what they designed.
Most of the other booths leaned heavily on trees, shrubs, and perennials — all beautiful — but our edible-filled raised beds really stood out. And that was nerve-wracking. We figured the judges would either love it or… well… not so much. But they loved it. That blue ribbon felt extra sweet, especially for Sarah. She has a competitive streak a mile wide, as anyone who's played pickleball with her knows.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. We could have prepped more off-site — our crew was still cutting and sanding the raised beds during setup — so what took most teams 2–3 hours took us closer to ten. Finding healthy, lush veggies in mid-August was another challenge, but thanks to some strategic up-potting and a lucky find of big peppers and green basil at the local Lowe’s, we pulled it off.
We had some good laughs along the way — like when the guys meticulously swept the gravel and pavers before leaving for the day… only for us to come in with armloads of plants and soil and promptly undo all that neatness. Classic.
The fair is just getting underway, and now we’re looking forward to seeing how visitors respond. Who knows — we might even snag the People’s Choice award! Yet another thing to spur our (mostly Sarah's) competitive streak
Want to see how it all came together? Check out the State Fair Highlight on Instagram at @tnkitchengardens. And if you’ve got a small space and want a beautiful, productive garden like our 10x10 design, give us a call for a consultation — we’d love to help you grow something amazing.
