10 Mar Container Gardens

Ranunculus (Buttercups)

Call it spring fever, call it cabin fever, call it whatever you like. All we know is that we can’t wait to get out and dig in the dirt. For us, gardeners, winter is always a bit too long and a little too cold. Although we appreciate the break from gardening chores that winter brings, we are soon itching to be planting again. Come the first sign of spring we can hardly contain ourselves.

While every year promises new, better and grander blossoms, the fact remains: You could live a lifetime and a half and still not exhaust the possibilities that await you in the garden. With so many choices, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. So why not start with a pot or two and then let your success overflow into the garden? Container gardening is a wonderful way to experiment with different plants and pairings. A beautiful spring container garden can help get the season started!

Spring Container Gardens

Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are usually the first plants that come to mind when we think of spring plants. But, there a lots of other options for your spring container gardens. Other plants to consider are ranunculus, primrose, snapdragons, stock, pansies and mountain pinks. All are wonderful choices in a wide range of colorful combinations. Add a few branches of pussy willow or budding forsythia for height and interest. Spring blooming bulbs can be planted in containers in the fall. Other spring plants can be tucked into empty spaces in the container as the bulb plants start to emerge. Have fun and experiment with different combos!

Planter Choices

When it comes to container gardens, part of the fun is choosing the right containers. There are lots of options and as long as there’s proper drainage, you can use just about anything. Search around your home for unusual items that can be turned into unique containers. Traditional or quirky options abound. Or stop by the garden center for inspiration.

Photo Courtesy Proven Winners
www.provenwinners.com

Summer Container Gardens

More thought and planning should go into creating summer container gardens. While spring container gardens last about 6 weeks, summer gardens continue to bloom from May through August and sometimes well into fall. Therefore, growth habits and similar watering and sun requirements are important considerations.

And the colors! Should we go monochromatic? Tropical hot? Silvers and blues? The choices are plentiful. What about textures? Spikes, trailers, mid-heights or statuesque beauties stretching for the sky? Perennials or annuals? Tropicals or roses? Whatever your choices are make sure they require the same amount of water and sunlight. Don’t set yourself up for failure by mixing the wrong plants together.

Less is more. Instead of trying to cram all your favorites into one pot, create your combos with two or three different plants or try using the same plant in complimentary color combinations.

Fall Container Gardens

While many summer container gardens will continue to flourish well into fall, some plants may begin to look a little sad. These can be carefully be removed and replaced with a fall bloomer. Or you can have fun creating a totally new garden just for fall. Choose from mums, asters, celosia, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, millet, Montauk daisies and ornamental peppers. Again, the combos are endless.

Winter Container Gardens

Don’t forget winter. Once the fall plants have died off, it’s easy  to create a beautiful container for winter. Remove your spent plants and place cut evergreens and holly directly into the soil. Add pine cones, branches and a pretty bow and you’ve easily created a lovely pot that will last well into winter.

Well, one thing’s for sure. There is no better way to beat the winter blues that to daydream endlessly about the gardens you’ll create this spring. You supply the dream, and we’ll supply everything else-from containers to plants, soil to supplements-all the ingredients you’ll need. A world of choice awaits you. Even the seemingly commonplace petunia comes in dozens of uncommon varieties. Plan for every season for a year of endless beauty. If you’d like us to create a container garden for you, we can do that too! We can change your containers seasonally as well.