Fantasies in bloom

Two hours into the 18th annual Southern California Spring Garden Show, Corona del Mar resident Sharon Schoneberger was making her fourth trip to the parking lot to stow a box full of begonias in her car before returning for more plant shopping.

For many of Thursday’s visitors to South Coast Plaza, shopping bags were replaced by potted plants and garden accessories as the event commenced in the shopping center’s west wing.

“These begonias are difficult to find so I never miss this event,” she said. “I come every year to get a fresh supply.”

The garden show, continuing through Sunday, offers more than 70 specialty garden vendors, 15 display gardens created by professional landscape architects and university horticulture students as well as numerous seminars by garden experts.

There are also several children’s activities scheduled throughout the weekend, including an exotic bird and reptile show, a bug exhibit and plant-related crafts.

“This year’s theme is fantasy gardens, and we’re trying to inspire the visitors to the garden show to remember that anything they can imagine for their gardens is possible,” said Debra Gunn Downing, the plaza’s marketing director.

Landscape artists Ken and Susan Hussni of Kan-Do Ponds took the theme to heart in creating their “island fever” display, which features an elaborate teak daybed, a waterfall and several animals, including a water dragon, several rescued ducklings and a large, white rabbit named Sparky.

“This is not your average backyard,” Ken Hussni said. “I wanted to make this a fun, whimsical fantasy land where you can go to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.”

On the opposite end of the plaza, Dee Dee Gates stashed two 5-foot clematis plants near the door of the third-floor seminar room as she rushed in to catch “Tomatomania,” a tutorial about growing tomatoes organically.

“I bought some tomatoes last year so I want to see what’s new and what the latest technologies and growing methods are,” Gates said. “These people are so knowledgeable, and you have all these plants and tools in one location, which makes shopping really easy.”

The selection of clematis plants offered by the American Clematis Society also drew the attention of Bruce and Becky Lopez, who came from their home in Altadena to spend the weekend at the show.

“I think clematis are popular because they’re not that easy to find at local nurseries, though they should be,” said society founder Edith Malek, expecting the plants would sell out before the end of the show. “If you can grow roses, you can grow a clematis. They are very similar in their wants and needs.”

Other attention grabbers include an extensive selection of miniature cacti, scented-leaf pelargoniums, cherimoya trees, black flag irises — the darkest flower on display — and a large collection of Dischidia pectinoides, a small, easy-to-maintain vine growing inside an oversized snail shell.

In addition to her popular mosaic turtles and frogs, Annie Norton of Mosaic Originals offers one of the largest and most original pieces of garden decor.

Using stained glass, shells, beads and tiles, Norton recycles old, unusable surfboards and turns them into art for indoor and outdoor gardens.

“They’re definitely a show stopper, and I do sell them too,” she said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The 18th annual Southern California Spring Garden Show

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: The Crate and Barrel and Macy’s Home Store Wing at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa

COST: Free

INFO: (714) 435-2160 or www.springgardenshow.com