The tents, machinery, balloons, big screens and massive displays tend to draw the eye upward at the Farm Progress Show.

But if you take a moment to look down, you’ll find a colorful display of mulch, flowers, shrubs, boulders, landscape blocks and much more.

It’s all trucked in by Xylem Ltd., which is headquartered in Cordova, Ill.

Barb Dornfield, Xylem farm show manager, says they began trucking in mulch and wood chips near the end of July. All told, there are two semitrucks of plants on-site. Mixed in are about 1,000 mums.

Here’s the best part. Once the show is over, Xylem leaves much of it behind. Dornfield says it isn’t economical to truck it all back up to their Channahon, Ill., warehouse, southwest of Chicago near Joliet.

Catch fire sale

So, what do they do with all of the leftovers? They hold a massive landscaping material fire sale right there at Progress City, in Decatur, Ill. Dornfield says area residents typically cash in on the savings, but the event is open to everyone.

The last show day is Aug. 31. Xylem’s landscape material sale begins at 8 a.m. Sept. 1. It may continue until 5 p.m. Sept. 4, Labor Day, if material is still left.

So, if you’re looking for a deal on landscape material, you might want to swing by Progress City between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sept. 1. You can pay with cash, check or credit card. Xylem will have skid loaders on-site to load bulk mulch.

Dornfield says they should have plenty of dyed mulch in blue, gold and red. They’ll also have plenty of hardwood chips and some boulders available.

As for plants, you’ll have your pick of mums. They also have numerous perennials, shrubs, bushes and trees.

And while the greenery was on display for three consecutive show days, Dornfield wants to ensure shoppers that everything is watered nightly.

“We take really good care of all of the plants,” she says. “They look tremendous after the show, perfect for residential landscaping.”

The 2023 Farm Progress Show is Aug. 29-31. Learn more at FarmProgressShow.com, and check out the digital edition of the official program.